Yu-Gi-Oh! The Duelist Rebellion
by Huu-chan
Summary: Years after the events of Arc-V, the leaders of the Standard Dimension have decided to finally put an end to Duel Monsters. Enough tragedies and Earth threatening events have occurred, and all because of Duel Monsters. Card production is stopped, dueling technology is destroyed, history is rewritten, and centuries later, Duel Monsters is all but forgotten...at least...it should be.
1. Down the Rabbit Hole

**A/N: Though this takes place in the Arc-V timeline, the story, characters, and many of the cards used are completely original (save some references to past events and characters.) This includes an all new summoning method created by me. This story will assume you're familiar with the core concept and rules of YuGiOh, though more complicated and new techniques/cards will be explained. Also, I'd like to note that a few rules have been changed in this series to accommodate the new summoning method and cards. This story also attempts to deconstruct/reconstruct/subvert many tropes common to the YuGiOh franchise. I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

"Hey, Yuki! Earth to Yuki! Hey, are you in there?", Daisuke asked.

"Oh...sorry...um...what were we talking about?", I asked, snapping out of my daydream.

"I was telling you that we gotta get ready for our next class. You've been dozing off all day!", he reminded me.

"Right. Thanks, Daisuke.", I thanked him, "I'll try and focus more."

"Is something wrong? You've been daydreaming a lot lately. And you've been staring at your necklace non-stop.", he continued with a concerned tone.

"It's nothing, really. I'm just a little tired, that's all.", I assured him, even though it wasn't true.

In actuality, I've been having these dreams lately. Dreams where my necklace talks to me, telling me all sorts of stuff. Conspiracy theories, and past events that never happened. It happens so often that it can't be a coincidence. This necklace was a gift from my Grandmother before she died, and she told me that it always kept her safe. But now...it's sort of freaking me out. It tells me about this card game people used to play a long time ago, and how it nearly brought the end of the world several times. It tells me how the government forcibly halted the production and use of these cards to prevent any more disasters, and it's shown me what these cards look like. But...we never learned about any of that in history. You'd think something so monumental would be documented, but even when I looked through history books, encyclopedias, and the internet, nothing about this subject came up.

"That concludes our lessons for today. I'll see you all here tomorrow.", the homeroom teacher told us, in what felt like minutes. I wasn't paying attention, and it was already time to go home. Today's lessons went in one ear and out the other, just like yesterday...and the day before. I was gonna start failing if I didn't keep up on my studies. My mom would kill me if I got held back during my last year of high school. As I was packing my things, Daisuke started talking to me.

Daisuke is my childhood friend, and we've been in the same class almost every school year. Now that we're seniors, we're even planning on going to the same college. He's goofy and unreliable most of the time, but he seems to really come through for me when it matters. He really helped me through the loss of my Grandma, and whenever I'm feeling down, he can always cheer me up. That's why we're on a first name basis. Most people think we're dating because of how friendly we are, but I've never thought of him that way. It's probably because I've known him for so long, he's like a brother to me. It was pretty obvious he had feelings for me, but I've never had the heart to outright reject him.

"So, I was thinking we could get some food on the way home.", he suggested.

"I'm not feeling very hungry.", I told him.

"You're not, huh?", he mumbled, rubbing the back of his head. As he was thinking of what else we could do, the boy who sat next to me stood up, getting ready to leave. He was kind of the school heart throb, so a lot of girls were jealous that I got to sit right next to him. His name was Yusuke Tachibana, and he was always so cool and stoic, not to mention super attractive. It's no wonder every girl in school melts around him. He transferred into our class towards the beginning of this school year, and he's been famous ever since. Apparently, his family owns some big corporation, so he's really rich. To top it all off, he's super smart. He's almost always at the top of all the exams. If he was more sociable, he would be perfect.

As I watched him stand up and get his things together, I saw him drop something on the ground.

"Oh! I know! Why don't we stop by the arcade? I'm sure we can find something to do there.", Daisuke continued. I was trying to tell Yusuke that he dropped something, but Daisuke kept talking. I was trying to interject, but he wouldn't stop talking. Before I could tell him, Yusuke left the room. Ignoring Daisuke, I got out of my chair and bent down, picking up the object and looking it over.

It was a plastic container, made of the same material as a pencil box, but it was more square. The top of it could be flipped open, so I took a peek inside. What I saw shocked me, and made me question everything I knew. They were cards. Brown cards, green cards, pink cards. All with different names and stuff on them. These were the cards my necklace told me about. I've seen them before. But...why does Yusuke have them? How come he's never mentioned these before?

"Hm? Whatcha got there?", Daisuke asked.

"N-Nothing!", I shouted. He pulled back, shocked at the forcefulness of my statement.

"Sure doesn't sound like nothing!", he argued.

"I gotta go!", I shouted back, grabbing my bag from my desk and quickly exiting the classroom.

"Wait! What about the arcade?!", Daisuke shouted.

"We'll go there tomorrow! Promise!", I shouted back. When I got to the hall, I quickly looked around for Yusuke, but I didn't see him anywhere. I ran down the hall to a couple girls hanging out, and asked them where he went. They pointed me further down the hall. So, I kept running, asking people along the way where he went, but they didn't lead me outside the building. They were leading me further into the school. Eventually, my trail stopped at a dead end, underneath the stairs.

Where did he go? Did he really go this way? There wasn't a door anywhere for him to go into. Did he got upstairs maybe? As I glanced around, I noticed a hatch on the ground. It looked like it went into the basement. But...why would he go down there? I guess it was my only lead, so I opened up the hatch and looked inside. It wasn't totally dark. There seemed to be light coming from down there. I didn't know why a basement would be lit up unless someone was down there, so I decided to go down. I put one foot on the ladder, then slowly and carefully descended. I didn't know what was down there, so I didn't want to dive head first into trouble.

When I reached the bottom and looked behind me, I saw that I wasn't in a basement at all. It was a long and wide tunnel that was lit up by small green lights on the walls and ceiling. It was like...an escape tunnel, or something. It definitely wasn't a basement. Maybe a sewer? But, it didn't smell bad, and there was no water, so it couldn't be. More importantly, though, why is something like this under the school? From what I know, there was never some kind of war in this area. This couldn't have been built for some kind of emergency purpose. Who built it anyway? If it was for some military purpose, why put it under the school? As I looked around the tunnel, examining everything to try and make sense of it all, I saw footprints on the ground that weren't mine. If those students were right about where they saw Yusuke go, then he probably came through here. But...why? Why would he come to such a suspicious place?

I guess I wasn't gonna find out by standing there, so I began to follow the prints, further and further down the tunnel. It was really cold down there. Even though it was summer, it felt like I was standing outside in the middle of winter. I held the box of cards tightly in my hand as I continued down the path, but as I was nearing some kind of intersection, I stopped for a moment. I took the cards out of the case to examine them, looking through each individual one.

"Miracle Dragon"..."Dead Zone"..."Mirror Force"..."Blind Angel"...these names were so random.

"Trap Card"..."Spell Card"..."Monster Card"...They all had unique pictures on them, and they all had something written in a small box beneath the picture.

"When an opponent's monster declares an attack: destroy all Attack Position monsters your opponent controls.", one of them read. I didn't understand at all, but they looked like they all worked together somehow. It was definitely like my necklace said. They were from a card game. But, I wondered what the rules were. As I looked through each card, I became more and more interested.

As I got lost in examining the cards, I heard footsteps behind me, but I didn't pay much mind to it. First they were walking, then running. Before I knew it, there were bright lights shining at me. I turned around and was partially blinded by them. I couldn't see who was shining them at me.

"She's got cards!", I heard a man shout.

"Get down on the ground, now!", another shouted. They sounded like police officers. But, why were they yelling at me? I didn't do anything wrong!

"What did I do?!", I shouted at them.

"I said, on the ground!", he repeated. Just before I was about to submit, someone jumped in front of me. They were wearing a long coat with black gloves, and they had something glowing on their forearm, but I didn't get a good look at it. A moment later, I heard a sparkling sound, then there was a bright flash that blinded me and the men stopping me.

"Damn it!", I heard them shout. I agreed with them. That hurt my eyes. As I was still blinded, I felt someone grab my arm and pull me further down the tunnel. It probably wasn't the men after me, but I still didn't know who it was who jumped in at the last moment. All I could do was follow them and hope for the best. I mean...they saved me. Probably...


	2. She's One of Us

When I started regaining my vision, I saw I was being led by the man who jumped in front of me. He had me by the arm, running further down the tunnel. I looked back and saw that the officers weren't pursuing us anymore. We didn't really have a reason to keep running. It looked like we lost them at that last intersection, but, they could just be really far behind. We were running pretty fast.

"Who are you?! Where are we going?!", I barked at the man dragging me along.

"I'll explain later. Just run.", he ordered.

"They aren't behind us anymore, and I have a right to know these things!", I retorted. At that, he stopped abruptly, then let go of my hand and turned around.

"Listen. This is a one way tunnel. You either go with me, or you go with them. If you want to stay and get taken away by those police when they catch up, fine by me. But, return that deck first.", he snapped, holding his hand out. At this point, I got a better look at him. He was wearing some kind of military helmet that covered his entire face, and it looked like he was wearing combat armor under his long leather coat. He looked like he was geared up for war, but his voice and his presence...they seemed familiar. And if he was asking for the deck _back_...

"Tachibana-kun?", I asked, looking to him skeptically.

"Yes, but that stays between us. _Just_ us.", he told me, "So, are you with me, or not?"

I thought it about for a moment. If I turn myself in, I might not get in trouble...but I might get in big trouble. If I run away now, I'll only make it worse, won't I? But...I know it sounds crazy...but, I was having fun. It was a crazy, chaotic, spur of the moment kind of fun. I knew it was a bad idea to go with him, but I was riding on the high of the moment. So, without another second of hesitation, I gripped the box of cards in my right hand, then placed my left hand in his, grabbing it tightly.

"I'm with you.", I agreed.

"Good.", he replied, turning back around and starting to run again. I didn't realize it at the time, but I had a smile on my face. I've always been a good girl...maybe a bit _too_ good. I've ratted out my friends in the past when they did bad things, even when they didn't include me. And even if it wasn't my business, I'd make a point to let people know when they're doing something unacceptable.

As you can imagine, I was called things like the "Moral Police" and "Mary Sue" a lot. But, right now, I wasn't Mary Sue. I was doing something I shouldn't. Breaking the law, no less. And...it was thrilling. I guess this is how my ex-friends used to feel when they did bad things. It didn't make them bad people...it was just bad choices they were making for fun. I understood that better now.

Feeling more relaxed, I decided to strike up conversation with Yusuke.

"Why are you hiding your identity from everyone?", I asked him, running along with him.

"Because no one can know I'm a Tachibana. It would ruin everything I've worked for.", he explained.

"Everything you worked for?", I asked, confused.

"You'll see for yourself. soon enough.", he told me. We went around another corner and ran a short distance until we came to a dead end with a soda machine that was tilted sideways against a wall. It was obviously broken. The lights weren't on and it was dirty as hell. Yusuke walked up to it and hit a few random buttons, but right before I was going to inform him that it was probably broken, the front of the machine opened up like a door. I was surprised to see it do anything at all. The machine seemed to be a covert door through this dead end. It was well made, too. Observant people would notice a lone soda machine standing straight up against a wall. But, this machine was tilted, and so was the entry way. It looked totally natural, albeit strange that nobody removed it.

"Come on.", he said, gesturing me to go inside. So, I went in first, ducking a bit, since it was at an angle. After he followed behind me, he closed the door and continued on ahead. Now, we were in a small, square room with one door on the other side. He walked up to it and knocked, then a slit on the door slid open to reveal someone's eyes.

"It's me.", Yusuke said.

"Oh, Kaiba! You're back!", the man exclaimed, happily. Kaiba? Who's Kaiba?

"Hm? Who's the girl?", he asked.

"She's one of us. Open up.", Yusuke said.

"Aye aye. Opening up.", the man replied. I heard a few clicking noises, like locks opening, then the door opened up shortly after. Yusuke walked right ahead, so I followed in, but it was just another square room. This room had couches and a table, though. It looked like it had a coffee machine, too. There were a few TV monitors that had still images on them, so I walked closer to inspect them. They were actual footage, not just pictures, so they seemed to be from security cameras or something.

"What is this room?", I asked the man, looking around a bit more.

"This is the security checkpoint. We make sure only _our_ people get through here, and we take shifts watching it.", the man explained, walking up to me, "I'm Latch. Yoroshiku." He held his hand out cheerily.

"Yorosh..what?", I repeated, baffled. Latch looked at me, just as puzzled, then to Yusuke.

"She doesn't know, yet.", he explained, cryptically.

"Hm...alright then.", Latch accepted, turning back to me, "It means 'Nice to meet ya'."

"Oh...well...I'm Yuki Yukihira. Nice to meet you, too.", I replied.

"You heading down?", Latch asked Yusuke and I.

"Yes. I'm taking her with me. I want you radio Shirley and tell her to meet us at the bottom, and to bring a Duel Disk.", he ordered.

"Aye aye.", Latch agreed.

"Come on.", Yusuke said to me, walking to what looked like elevator doors.

"What's a Duel Disk?", I asked him. He hit a button on the wall and the two metal doors slid open, then held his left arm up to me, showing a rectangular device strapped to it.

" _This_ is a Duel Disk. Save the rest of your questions for Shirley. She'll explain everything to you.", he lectured me, with a sigh, as we walked into the elevator. He hit a button inside, and the doors closed. We began descending at an alarming rate. Elevators are fast, but this was jarring. I've never been on such a quick elevator before. After I got my balance a bit, I asked another question.

"So...why do they call you Kaiba?", I asked. After a brief silence, he responded,

"You really can't wait until we get to the bottom, can you?"

"It's like your secret identity right? But, why Kaiba? What does that even mean?", I asked. When I asked that, it caught his interest for some reason.

"...Do you know what _your_ name means?", he asked.

"You mean...Yuki?", I asked.

"Yes. Do you know what the name Yuki means?", he clarified.

"Well...I never really thought about it. Names don't really have meanings, do they?", I reasoned. He scoffed lightly, mumbling,

"You're Japanese and you don't even know your own language...this is whole reason..."

"Japanese...?", I muttered, getting more and more lost as the conversation went on.

"This city...or rather...this land mass. It used to be a country called Japan. The reason why your hair and eyes are dark, and the reason why your eyes are a different shape than mine? You're a descendent of the Japanese people. Judging by your appearance, you're a pretty pure descendent at that. But, because of the Neo-Domino Dominion, everyone here was robbed of their heritage and individuality. Everyone is a Domino citizen now. You're not Japanese. You're not Korean. You're not European. You're a Domino."

"I'm...Japanese...", I repeated, intrigued, yet in disbelief, "Then...you are...?"

"My mother was Italian, but my father is Japanese.", he trailed off.

"...she... _was_ Italian...?", I asked, softly. He didn't reply. The message I was getting from the pressure in the room was unmistakable. "Drop it."

"...I chose to model myself after Seto Kaiba.", he explained, finally, "He was the CEO of Kaiba Corp, which was the company that helped revolutionize the Duel Monsters industry. He was considered the second best Duelist in the world by the creator of Duel Monsters, himself."

"Duel Monsters...is the name of the card game?", I surmised.

"Yes. And a Duelist is someone who plays Duel Monsters.", he confirmed, "Shirley will explain everything else to you momentarily."

"Alright...", I mumbled, contemplating it all, and giving him some space. As we went further and further down, I looked at the box of cards I had in my hands again. After fiddling with the cards uncomfortably, and feeling the tension of the silence, I asked,

"Do you want these back?"

"No.", he said, without hesitation, "They're yours now. You're going to be needing them."

"A-are you sure? This is a lot of cards..."

"They're rare, too. It's was a prototype deck I built to refine my skills. It's the only other deck we own that is capable of executing all Summoning methods, including Rebellion Summoning.", he told me.

"Summoning methods? Rebellion Summoning?", I muttered, confused. Before he answered, we finally reached our destination and the doors opened. Immediately in front of us was an...adorable young woman, probably in her twenties, holding what looked like a Duel Disk in her hands. She had short, curly red hair and some freckles on her face. Her eyes were a bright blue color, too. Like the sky on a spring day. She wasn't pretty, per se. She was really cute, though. However, my attention was only on her for a brief moment.

What really caught my attention was the huge, underground city behind her. It was insane...huge. But, all the buildings looked decayed, and a lot of them were destroyed. Like...a bunch of modern ruins. It was no wonder it took us so long to get down here, even at the speed we were going. There's freaking skyscrapers down here! This is an entire city of itself!

"Excellent, Shirley. I knew I could count on you.", Yusuke commended her for being on time. She blushed a bit, saying,

"It's nothing, really..."

"Right, then. Shirley, this is Yuki Yukihira. I want you to teach her everything: The world's forgotten history, our purpose, and most importantly, how to duel. Can you do that for me?", he requested.

"O-of course. Is this Duel Disk for her?", Shirley asked.

"Yes. After you get done teaching her the ins and outs, bring her to the Dueling Grounds, and I'll test her.", he instructed her.

"Whoa! You're gonna duel her?!", Shirley exclaimed.

"Yes.", he confirmed, then turning to me, "Once you learn the rules, study that deck long and hard. Your very life will come to depend on it."

"G-got it.", I agreed, feeling really intimidated by all this. Immediately after, he walked away confidently. His commanding aura was amazing. He felt like a military commander. Like...he just naturally knew what he was doing, and if you followed behind him...you'd win. I don't know what you'd win, but it felt like you couldn't go wrong by following him.

"Wow...you're a lucky girl.", Shirley told me, "It's everyone's dream to watch Kaiba duel, let alone face him. He hasn't dueled anyone in months."

"Why does everyone want to see him duel so badly?", I asked, returning my attention to her.

"Cause he's amazing. He's so far beyond any of us in skill and strategy, it's exhilarating to watch him in action. I can guarantee you're going to attract quite a crowd.", she explained, "Now, come on. I'll show you everything you need to know."

We walked away from the big elevator and down one of the city streets. This place was lit up by street lights and lamps, but other than that it was almost pitch black. From what I could understand between bits and pieces of information she was feeding me, we were heading to some kind of shop or something, but most of what she was saying was stuff about Yusuke. The way she sounded, ooing and awing, as she gushed about him like that made it painfully obvious she had a crush on him. I knew I was out of line by asking this, but I decided to do it anyway.

"Shirley...you have a thing for him, don't you?", I asked. She laughed, dreamily, saying,

"Yeah...yeah I do..." Looking at her, she was probably a good bit older than Yusuke was, so I asked,

"Hey...would you still like him...if he was a lot younger than you?"

"How old _is_ he?", she asked.

"I think he's seventeen or eighteen...", I pondered, not realizing what I just said.

"Really?! How do you know that?!", she blurted, turning to me in a panic. It was then that I realized my mistake.

"I...uh...study...physiology...?", I stuttered.

"You study physiology?", she asked for clarification.

"Um-Yes! Ahem. Y-yes, I study it a lot in my spare time. And, uh, I can tell by his height and weight...and...body...height to weight..ratio...that he is definitely between seventeen and eighteen.", I blurted. Oh man. That was bad. Only a complete moron would believe that.

"Wooow! You can tell his age by _that_?! That's amazing!", Shirley exclaimed, "Hey! What else can you tell about him?" She was like a puppy begging for a treat. Even though I was lying, I couldn't just tell her that now.

"Okay...what do you wanna know?", I asked, as we began moving again.

"What's his favorite food?", she requested, with decisiveness.

"So...you can cook it for him?", I asked back.

"Is that too cliche?", she panicked, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

"No, no. Let me think...", I trailed off, thinking. Again, I got lost in thought, so I started talking without thinking.

"I'm pretty sure white chocolate is his guilty pleasure. He eats a small piece religiously every Friday.", I noted.

"That's amazing...you can be so precise by just looking at him...you're a prodigy!", she complimented me. I was feeling worse and worse the further this deception went, but I thought that ignorance would be bliss for her.

"Yeah, so...get him some white chocolate. I'm sure he'd love it.", I assured her. We entered a shop while still talking, eventually sitting down at a table. I don't know how long we sat there, but we didn't talk about anything we were supposed to. We talked about Yusuke, our favorite things to do, all the drama we deal with. We made absolutely no progress.


	3. Our Reason For Being

We talked and talked, for what only seemed like minutes. But, reality came crashing down around us when the shop door opened up. Standing in the doorway was an unimpressed looking Yusuke.

"It's been _three_. _hours_. What in name of Ra on a bloody Cycroid is _taking_ so long?", he asked, exasperated.

"We were...talking.", Shirley mumbled. Yusuke sighed and put his hand on his helmet.

"Did you at least teach her how to duel?"

"...No.", Shirley replied quietly, feeling defeated, "I...I failed." She lowered her head slowly, shoulders rising and beginning to shake. She looked like she was about to cry. I was going to tell her that it was alright, but before I got the chance to, Yusuke put his hand on her head, stroking her hair and saying,

"I suppose it would be easy to get distracted, if you made a new friend. You don't exactly have the time to go out and make them." She looked up at him, lip quivering, as if she were so touched she could cry.

"Kaiba...", she murmured.

"I'll take it from here. I think I know a faster way to teach her.", he told her.

"You mean...you're going to teach me how to duel?", I asked.

"Not exactly.", he said, pulling something out of his pocket and setting it on the table. It was a small paper booklet.

"This is the Duel Monsters rulebook. Read through it for yourself.", he revealed.

"You're not going to teach me yourself?", I asked.

"You learn better by reading things for yourself, don't you?", he suggested, "Showing you how to do it would take longer."

He was right. I did learn better by reading guides, but...how did he know that? Has he been...paying attention to me in class? He doesn't really interact with any of our classmates...so...maybe?

"Okay, then.", I agreed, picking up the booklet and beginning to read it. I looked in the table of contents to see what I would be learning. "Getting Started", "Game Cards", "How to Play", "Battles and Chains", and "Other Rules" were the chapters.

"There's only forty-eight pages?", I asked him.

"Yes. It's a very short book, and as you can see, it's small. It shouldn't take you very long to read through it all.", he explained.

"Um...Kaiba?", Shirley asked, getting his attention.

"What is it?", he asked her.

"I...I didn't get to tell her about our history, either.", she confessed.

"That's alright.", he told her, without hesitation, "I'll teach her later." It looked like he really wasn't sweating it anymore.

"Um...I had another question.", she said.

"Yes?", he asked.

"Do you like...chocolate?", she asked him, timidly. He seemed to be surprised at that question.

"That's a peculiar question.", he said, intrigued, "I don't believe anyone here has asked me something so mundane before."

"I'm sorry! That was a stupid question!", she blurted out, closing her eyes.

"Well...it was a rather pointless question, but it's refreshing. Most often, the questions I answer have some sort of great purpose to them.", he replied, "So, yes. I'm particularly fond of white chocolate, though I don't get many opportunities to enjoy it, as I'm sure you can imagine."

"R-really? So...if I brought you some, would you eat it?", she asked. Then, for the first time ever, I heard Yusuke laugh.

"I suppose I don't have any reason to refuse.", he told her. She smiled brightly, filled with enthusiasm and hope. It was strange. Yusuke was like a totally different person. In class, he never talked to anyone. The only times we'd hear him speak is when he answered a question in class or something. But here...he's nice...and sociable. It's really great to see he has a soft side. So, he and Shirley continued chatting while I read the rulebook. It took me about 30 minutes, but I was finished.

"Done.", I told him.

"Alright, then. Do you feel confident that you could duel now, with the knowledge you have?", he asked me.

"Yeah...I think I can.", I agreed.

"Then all that's left is to teach you how to Rebellion Summon. The book doesn't include it.", he concluded.

"Right, you mentioned that. Why is that?", I asked.

"Because Rebellion Summoning was invented after that rulebook was printed."

"Oh...so...what is it?"

"It's a type of Built-In Special Summon. Similar to Ritual Summoning, and almost the opposite of Pendulum Summoning.", he said, "I'll take you to the Dueling Grounds to show you, and on the way, I can give you little a history lesson."

"Alright!", I agreed, getting really into it. I never thought that I'd be interested in a card game like this. I never thought that I'd be in this situation either. I was so wrapped up in everything, I didn't really understand how crazy this all was.

Shirley came along with us as we left the shop, and as we walked down the road, Yusuke started revealing things to me.

"Hundreds of years ago, Duel Monsters was a world-wide phenomena. It was a game that was constantly evolving, but it brought everyone together.", he told me, "It all started with a man named Pegasus J. Crawford, who visited a country called Egypt in his youth. There, he saw ancient Egyptian glyphs and drawings that had all matters of strange creatures on them. After her returned home, he created trading cards based on the drawings he saw. He made a game out of them, and called them Duel Monsters."

"Wow...", I mumbled, taking it all in.

"What he didn't know, however, was just how successful Duel Monsters would become. In less than twenty years, entire Academies would be built to teach the dynamics of dueling, and create the best duelists in the world. Later still, Duel Monsters would evolve into a sport using vehicles. Then came Action Dueling.", Yusuke continued, "As time went on, Duel Monsters became more and more successful, and evolved to be more realistic."

"But...Duel Monsters was also the center of a lot of disasters.", Shirley added.

"Yes...the public wasn't aware of it, but according to footage and logs found long after the events took place, it's been revealed that Duel Monsters has been the stage on which the very fate of life on Earth has hung in the balance on several occasions. Egyptian Gods, Ancient South American Deities, and even Interdimensional Wars."

"All of that stuff revolved around Duel Monsters?!", I shouted, "Wasn't it supposed to be a harmless card game?!"

"Yes, it was. A harmless children's card game somehow turned out to have dire consequences. And so, after the Interdimensional War, and the unification of said Dimensions into a single world, Duel Monsters was seen as too big of a threat. And so, it was destroyed."

"Destroyed?", I asked.

"Mhm. Production was halted completely. The cards were destroyed, Duel Disks and other technologies were dismantled and their blueprints erased, and anyone who opposed this would be imprisoned.", Shirley said.

"How could they get away with doing something so huge, when the whole world loved this game? That would be like getting rid of religion or something.", I argued.

"They showed everyone just how dangerous it could be.", Yusuke told me, "They used the new Solid Vision System to bring to life the very monsters who the world watched in duels. These monsters became the thing that forced rebellers into submission. When people didn't like that and fought back with their own monsters, it just furthered their point. Duel Monsters was a threat to the world."

"So...why do you guys still use it?", I asked.

"Because it's only a threat to the world in the wrong hands.", Yusuke replied, with conviction, "Duel Monsters used to bring the world together. Everyone, from all walks of life, would stand side by side as equals to watch these games take place. Even countries at ends with each other would set aside their differences to enjoy a duel. I believe that is still the case, and that erasing Duel Monsters because of unavoidable events in the past is wrong."

"That's why we fight, see?", Shirley finished, putting her hand on my shoulder, "We fight so that we can make a world where Duel Monsters can bring everyone together again!"

"And to do that, we need to destroy the Dominion.", Yusuke finished, "They are the only force that opposes us. When they are removed from the problem, Duel Monsters can flourish again. The world can return to its diverse and beautiful self."

"How long have you guys been fighting?", I questioned them.

"Kaiba has been leading us for almost two years now, but we've been fighting back in our own way for a while...kind of.", Shirley told me, trying to put it nicely.

"What do you mean?"

"Well...", she mumbled.

"Before I arrived, the groups that lived down here were gangs that fought to survive. First, I took a smaller, less powerful group under my wing. Then, through strategy and negotiations, we grew. We absorbed more and more gangs, uniting them under one banner. Now, we are the Duelist Rebellion, consisting of over forty combined gangs. Together, we'll bring a stop to the Neo-Domino Dominion. We'll liberate the world and give everyone individuality again.", Yusuke said. By the time he finished explaining that, we had arrived at an absolutely enormous stadium. I assumed this was the Dueling Grounds. We went through the front doors, into the building itself, then out onto the field. There was no grass at all. Just hard, cracked stone.

"Where are we anyway? This underground city I mean.", I asked him.

"Above us is Neo-Domino city. This is the ruins of the city it was built on top of."

"What was the city called before?", I asked him.

"Well, Neo-Domino was originally a small city far to the North of here. But, after the war, it expanded. It expanded all across Japan, until it totally consumed it. Then it spread across the Pacific, further and further.", he explained, "But, we're in the city known as Tokyo. More specifically, we're in a smaller part of Tokyo called Chofu. This stadium used to be called Ajinomoto Stadium, and it was the sixth largest in Japan.", he answered.

He turned to me, then held out the Duel Disk that Shirley prepared for me previously.

"Take it.", he said. After looking at it for a moment, I grabbed it and saw that it was just a flat display. I didn't know how you were supposed to use it, though.

"Set it on the top of your forearm, wherever it feels most comfortable. Then, hit the 'engage' button. It will attach itself to your arm.", he told me.

"G-got it.", I replied. So, I set it square on my arm to where it would probably be the easiest to use, then hit the button. From beneath the disk came a brace that wrapped around my arm and locked itself in place, nice and snug.

"Now, walk to the other side of the field and face me. Not too, far though.", he said, walking out onto the field and setting up. So, I walked to the other side of him, a short distance away, then said I was ready.

"Hold you Duel Disk like this, then press the 'on' button.", he said, lifting his arm in front of him.

"Right...", I agreed, following his orders. In a flash, the screen lit up, then what looked like a holographic blade appeared on the outside of the display. I was shocked at first, but I realized by the way it was shaped that it must be what you set the cards on. There were a few slots beneath the flat surface, and from what I read, your Spells and Traps were supposed to go there. There was a slot for your deck and your Graveyard on the actual Disk itself. Everything else was on the holographic part. So, I placed my deck inside the slot for it, and to my surprise, it began shuffling my cards with insane speed. How did it even do that? Was there some sort of mechanism in there? Before I had time to ask, something popped up on my display.

"Accept Duel Request?", it asked. Looking forward, I saw Yusuke had his Duel Disk already active, so it must have been from him. I tapped yes on the screen, then everything began.

"Action Field On", it said, and a large bubble of energy spread out from the Disk, almost like it was creating a barrier.

"The Action Field is what lets our monsters take physical form. It's known as the Solid Vision System, mechanically.", Yusuke explained, "Now, I'll go-"

He stopped when someone came running onto the field yelling for him.

"Boss! We got a problem!", the man cried.

"A problem that requires my attention, specifically? What is so important?", he asked. I walked closer to them, figuring we probably weren't going to be able to have our duel.

"The leader of the Black Lotuses is here and he wants to talk to you. He's got his lieutenant with him.", the man said.

"Are they armed?", Yusuke asked.

"They have their Duel Disks with them, but they aren't acting hostile. We have them under watch right now.", he answered, "They're talking about negotiating."

"Negotiating, huh?", Yusuke said, "Very well, then."

"We aren't going to duel?", I asked him.

"Sorry, but this takes precedence. But...you should come with me. I have a feeling we might get to duel after all.", he said, cryptically. I didn't really know what he was planning, but I decided to go with him.

"Where are they?", Yusuke asked.

"Tobitakyu Station. That's where we're holding them.", the man answered.

"Hm...that's quite the walk...", Yusuke pondered.

"We have a transport for you.", the man assured him.

"No need. I have a better idea.", Yusuke said. He stepped back a bit, then held up his Duel Disk, holding five cards in his other hand.

"Let's see...yes...this will work.", he said, "I'll just activate Ancient Rules...and..."

With that, he triggered his card. A spell card called Ancient Rules. I looked at my Duel Disk, and it explained that it lets you special summon a level 5 or higher Normal Monster from your hand. Yusuke stepped back and bit more, then gestured for everyone to make some room. With that, he stylishly flicked a monster card onto his field. A moment later, light blasted from the ground, and a giant white dragon appeared. I was floored. It was huge. A giant...real dragon. It's body seemed to be made out of some kind of paper or fabric or something ,and it looked like it was an arts and craft project or something.

"This monster is called 'Canvas Dragon'. We'll be using him to get to the station.", Yusuke said looking at me.

"We...we can fly on that thing?", I asked him.

"Our Duel Disks constantly generate an Action Field around us. As long as he doesn't go too far away, he'll stay solid.", he explained. I walked a bit closer, looking over the dragon some more. It was completely devoid of color. Just a soft, white fabric covering a wooden skeleton. That's what it looked like. Canvas Dragon, indeed.

"Canvas Dragon, take us to the Tobitakyu Station. Understand?", he asked it. It made a soft roaring sound, as if it were sentient, then squatted down for us to get on. First, Yusuke climbed up, then offered his hand to me.

"Are you...sure...this is safe?", she asked.

"Do you trust me?", he asked.

"It's not that I don't trust you...", I mumbled.

"Just answer the question.", he replied.

"Yes. I trust you.", I said.

"Then come on.", he finished. So, reluctantly, I took his hand and climbed up on the dragon's back. It began to flap its wings, and moments later, we started lifting off the ground. I was so scared, I couldn't help but grab onto Yusuke. We kept going higher and higher, so I just closed my eyes. After we got high enough, the dragon flew straight ahead at great speed. It definitely seemed to know where we were going, so there must be more to these things than just basic programs. I didn't even know how any of this stuff worked, but I'm sure I'd find out eventually. I just kept my eyes closed the whole time, not wanting to see where we were going or what we were doing, and Yusuke didn't force me to.

Shortly after, I felt us starting to descend and slow. Soon enough, I felt us touch the ground, so I opened my eyes. I looked around and saw we were at an old train station.

"Good work, Canvas Dragon.", Yusuke said to him. The dragon growled in response. Slowly, I got off, still a bit shaky, with Yusuke getting off after me. Then, Yusuke placed his hand flat on top of his deck. A notification came up on my screen saying "You Win".

"How did I just win?", I asked him.

"I forfeited.", he said. As he told me that, Canvas Dragon began quickly disintegrating, until there was nothing left.

"Let's go.", Yusuke said, walking into the station. Still not being able to comprehend all this, I just followed obediently behind him. When we got inside, there were a few people standing in a circle around two older men. As we approached, Yusuke and one of the men in the middle of the circle began talking.

"Hisashiburi da na, Kaiba-sama.", the taller man said, "You seem well."

"Konbanwa, Kyouma-san.", Yusuke said, walking right up to him, "Still alive, I see."

"I'm surprised you came to see me in person.", Kyouma commented.

"I'm surprised you came here at all.", Yusuke replied, "So, what is this I hear about wanting to negotiate?"

"I was hoping we could finally come to a peaceful solution.", Kyouma responded.

"That's interesting", Yusuke retorted, "considering you threw twenty of your men at us just last week."

"I figure that it's pointless to waste any more good men on this. We might as well just work something out.", Kyouma reasoned.

"You know I could have you killed right here for everything you've done.", Yusuke said, grimly, "You are in no position to be making any demands."

"I just want to know what your terms for peace are.", Kyouma replied, trying to be civil.

"I believe I've made myself clear in the past. You and your men surrender your cards and Duel Disks to us, then serve a three month probation period including community service. Clearing that with no further problems, you will be integrated back into the Rebellion at the lowest rank and your decks and Duel Disks will be returned.", Yusuke restated, "I believe those terms are rather fair, considering you've killed several of my people."

"Hmm...yes...those are rather fair...but...how about a wager?", Kyouma asked.

"I had a feeling you were going to go there.", Yusuke said, "What's the wager?"

"A duel. If I win, we can keep our decks and Duel Disks, but we'll still serve our probation and community service time.", he suggested. Yusuke thought about it for a second, then replied,

"Very well. If I win, not only will your Duel Disks and decks be confiscated, but you will serve a twelve month probation period instead."

"Hm...yes. That sounds fair to me.", Kyouma accepted, "So, then...how about a team duel?"

"A team duel?!", everyone around us shouted.

"I have my Lieutenant here with me. He and I will duel you and whoever else you choose.", Kyouma confirmed.

"Fine.", Yusuke agreed.

"I'll duel with you, Kaiba!", I heard someone call from behind us. Looking back, I saw it was Latch. Shirley was further behind him.

"We can take these guys, no problem!"

"No, let me duel with you Kaiba! I want to prove my usefulness to you!", Shirley called out.

"Now's not the time to prove your usefulness, Shirley! This is a high stakes duel!", Latch argued.

"That's why it's the perfect opportunity!", Shirley argued right back.

"I'm telling you! You-"

"Enough!", Yusuke shouted. Everyone immediately became silent.

"Neither of you will accompany me.", he finished.

"You intend to duel us alone?", Kyouma asked.

"No.", he said, turning and looking at me, "Yuki. You're going to be my partner in this duel."

"...Huh?", I asked, perplexed.


	4. The First Duel - A New Prodigy

I found myself standing on that big field once more, but this time, Yusuke was at my side, and two opponents stood before us.

"You're picking her?!", Latch shouted, when we were back at the station.

"Yes.", Yusuke confirmed.

"She's never even dueled before!", he argued back.

"This will be the perfect introduction, then.", Yusuke said, beginning to walk out of the station.

"Have Kyouma and his Lieutenant escorted to the Dueling Grounds.", Yusuke ordered, "Yuki, you're with me. And Shirley, bring me one of my decks." He pulled the one he was using out of his duel disk and handed it to her.

"You aren't going to use your main deck?", she asked.

"I have no need to.", he answered, "Yuki. Come on."

Mindlessly, I followed. I was dumbstruck. I was going to be dueling with Yusuke? I only read the manual...I have no experience at all.

"Yuki.", I heard Yusuke call from beside me.

"Y-yes?", I asked, my voice squeaking.

"I believe in you.", he said, "So, just do your best." And like magic, my nervousness vanished, if only for a short while. His powerful and confident aura was incredible. If he told you something, you believed him. No matter how much your brain said no, he could convince you. I faced forward, preparing myself, when they began discussing the rules.

"So, who will go first?", Kyouma asked.

"You'll go first, Kyouma. Then Yuki, then your Lieutenant, then me.", Yusuke said.

"Giving us the first move? How very kind of you.", Kyouma laughed.

"Don't take it personally. You'll need every advantage you can get.", Yusuke spat back at him. Kyouma understandably didn't take that very kindly.

"Fine. Let's duel!", Kyouma barked, beginning his turn.

So, both teams had 8000 Life Points total, and had separate fields, meaning 10 Monster Card and 10 Spell/Trap Card Zones per team. We also couldn't attack directly unless monsters on both of the opponents fields were gone.

"First, I'll activate the spell card 'Spellbook of Secrets' to add 'Spellbook of Power' from my deck to my hand.", he said, a card popping out of his deck. He drew it, then continued, "Then, I'll Summon 'Temperance of Prophecy' in attack mode." As he did, a mage with a covered face, wearing a brown robe appeared. Then, his information came up. "Level 3 - 1000 ATK", it said.

"Only one thousand attack?", I asked, turning to Yusuke in confusion.

"He's going to Tribute it.", Yusuke informed me.

"Next, I'll use his effect. If I activated a 'Spellbook' card previously this turn, I can Tribute him to Special Summon a level five or higher Spellcaster-type monster from my Deck. I choose...", he waited, his deck spitting out another card for him, "Cosmo Queen!" With that, Temperance of Prophecy waved his hands around, then exploded into glowing yellow shards. Kyouma slammed a card down on his field, and an intimidating looking woman appeared. She had large hands with sharp nails, and a twisted, evil appearance. "Level 8 - 2900 ATK", it said.

"Finally, I'll set two cards and end my turn.", he finished.

"Nakanaka yaru janai ka.", Yusuke said to him.

"Sore wa domo.", Kyouma said back, sounding almost sarcastic.

"What did you two just say?", I asked Yusuke.

"I told him that he made a pretty decent opening move, and he said 'thank you'.", he informed me.

"Are you speaking Japanese?", I asked.

"Yes.", he told me, "A lot of the people down here have Japanese heritage. In the Rebellion, I teach them to embrace their heritage. Coloring their dialogue with certain terms is a way to show that they haven't given up on being Japanese, and they aren't satisfied just being a Domino."

"Wow...that's...really nice.", I said, smiling.

"I'll teach you some words someday. For now, take your turn.", he said.

"R-right!", I agreed, "I draw!"

In my hand, I had two trap cards, two monsters, and two spell cards. I made sure to read every card effect carefully, so I didn't misuse them. After a few seconds of debating and planning, I decided on what I was going to do.

"First, I summon 'Miracle Priestess - Iroha' in attack mode!", I exclaimed. And so, a beautiful woman, clothed in a white and gold robe appeared on my field.

"Level 4 - 500 ATK"

"Sorry to tell you, little girl, but a monster with five hundred attack isn't going to help much.", Kyouma's lieutenant snarked.

"Quiet, you.", Kyouma snapped at him, "This young girl probably has more guts than the majority of the men in the Black Lotuses. Show her some respect as a duelist."

"R-right...", his lieutenant shrunk down.

"I'm sure that Iroha has a pretty nice effect, doesn't she?", Kyouma asked me, kindly. I smiled at him, saying,

"She sure does. Once per turn, I can change her into defense mode, and if I do, I can special summon another level four or lower 'Miracle' monster from my deck or hand.", I told him.

"That is pretty useful!", he laughed. So, my deck list popped up on my Duel Disk, showing me the available cards for me to choose. I guess this was how it worked. Instead of having to take your deck out and look through every card, you would select the card you wanted from your Duel Disk menu and it would spit it out for you. After looking it over and examining my choices, I knew what I wanted to do.

"I choose 'Miracle Warrior - Shinichiro'!", I ordered. With that, he popped out of the middle of my deck, allowing me to draw him and Special Summon him. So, I put him on the field. A gallant warrior wearing white and fold armor, carrying a bright and glowing sword appeared.

"Level 4 - 1200 ATK"

"That's not all. Shinichiro is a Tuner monster. So, I take my Miracle Priestess Iroha, and tune her with my Miracle Warrior Shinichiro!", I exclaimed. With that, Iroha began to glow, then flew up into the air. Shinichiro turned into two bright orbs and light, then began circling around her. Holographic rings enveloped her, turning her into a wireframe, then the two orbs combined with her, causing her to glow. My Extra Deck list popped up, and after viewing it for only a moment, I knew what I wanted.

"Alright! Here we go!", I said, taking the monster from my Extra Deck.

"Synchro Summon! Level Eight, Miracle Prime Dragon!" With that, it appeared. A giant, golden, feathery dragon with six wings. It looked more like a giant bird than dragon, but it was still very intimidating. It let out a mighty shriek to let them know it wasn't joking around.

"Level 8 - 3000 ATK"

"Three thousand attack?!", his lieutenant shouted.

"I'm not done yet!", I called, "Now, I activate my spell card, 'Hardlight Stairway'! With this, I can banish two Light-Attribute monsters in my graveyard, then Special Summon a level eight or lower Light monster from my hand. And I choose 'Miracle Dragon!'" So, Iroha and Shinichiro appeared from my Graveyard, then swiftly disappeared, and with that, another dragon appeared. A large, four winged one, with the same general appearance as Miracle Prime Dragon, except he had two less wings and a silver color scheme.

"Level 8 - 2500 ATK"

"Now, I set two cards and end my turn.", I finished.

"She did all that on her opening move?!", I heard the people watching us exclaim.

"Great job, Yuki-chan~!", I heard Shirley call out, "I believe in you!"

"That was quite the opening move!", Kyouma laughed, "For your first duel, that was very impressive!" I laughed back, happily.

"I'm a quick learner!", I told him.

"Good! That means this Duel won't be boring!", he agreed, "Lieu, you're up."

"R-right. I draw.", he said, pulling a card. He looked over everything he had, then got a big, evil grin on his face.

"First, I'll activate 'Trade-In', and by discarding 'Cosmo Queen', I can draw two cards.", he said. Cosmo Queen appeared for a brief second, then shattered into light particles then next. He drew two cards, then continued,

"Next, I'll Normal Summon 'Lord of D.' in attack mode." And so, a sinister looking man with big red hands and wearing a dragon themed cloak appeared on his field.

"Level 4 - 1200 ATK"

"Then, I'll activate 'Flute of Summoning Dragon'. With this, I can Special Summon two Dragon-type monsters from my hand. I choose 'Rider of the Storm Winds' and 'Pitch Dark Dragon'." The flute appeared, blowing a strange tune, and two monsters were special summoned to his field.

"Pitch Dark Dragon: Level 3 - 900 ATK" and "Rider of the Storm Winds: Level 1 - 500 ATK"

He had three monsters on the field now, but none of them were particularly powerful. They were all level 4 or lower, so I glanced over to Yusuke for a clue at what he was going to do.

"Rider of the Storm Winds is a Tuner monster. He's probably going to Synchro Summon.", he told me.

"That's right. I'll take my Lord of D. and Pitch Dark Dragon, and tune them with my Rider of the Storm Winds!", the lieutenant shouted. The monsters flew up just like last time, the orbs of light surrounding them, preparing for them to transform.

"O mystical goddess, ruler of the light and darkness. Appear before us, and bring everyone before you to their knees!", he chanted, as a dark, womanly figure appeared, "Synchro Summon! Come! Level eight! Chaos Goddess!" An elegant looking woman with silver hair and a black dress appeared, carrying with her an ominous presence.

"Level 8 - 2500 ATK"

"Now, I'll use her effect. By discarding another Rider of the Storm Winds from my hand, I can Special Summon a level five or higher Dark-attribute monster in my Graveyard.", he told us, "And it just so happens I discarded a Cosmo Queen at the beginning of my turn." And just like that, another Cosmo Queen appeared on his field. Now they had two monsters with 2900 attack, and one with 2500 attack. That still wasn't enough to take down my Miracle Prime Dragon, though. I didn't know what they were planning, so I looked to Yusuke for guidance again.

"Since they have three level eight monsters, they might Xyz Summon. Or, he could use that Spellbook of Power he had on Cosmo Queen to destroy your Miracle Prime Dragon, then overpower your Miracle Dragon with the other Cosmo Queen.", he theorized, "But they would need to wait until their next turn, since only the last person to take their first turn can attack."

"Now, I activate the card 'Battle Waltz'. This lets me Special Summon a Waltz Token on my side of the field with the same level, attribute, type, attack, and defense as my Chaos Goddess. But that's just the beginning.", he told us, "Now, I'll be using my Chaos Goddess and the Waltz Token to Xyz Summon!"

"Hm...so their going to Xyz Summon twice...", Yusuke mumbled. So, a giant space vortex, looking like a galaxy of some sort, appeared beneath our field. Then, Chaos Goddess and the Waltz token turned into rays of light, then flew straight down into the vortex.

"Master of Manipulation and torture! Strike fear into the hearts of mortal men!", he shouted, "Xyz Summon! Appear! 'Number 40; Gimmick Puppet of Strings!", his Lieutenant called out. Then, a feathery, intimidating looking monster appeared in front of him, carrying a large blade.

"Rank 8 - 3000 ATK"

"Now I'll activate his effect. By detaching one Xyz Material, I can place a String Counter on every monster on the field.", he said. After he said that, his monster shot strings from his hands, entangling around my Miracle Dragons. It didn't look like it was hurting them, but they were obviously bothered by it.

"Now, during your next End Phase, every monster with a String Counter will be destroyed, and you'll receive five hundred damage for each one destroyed that way. But I'm still not finished.", he continued, "Next, I'll Overlay both Cosmo Queens to Xyz Summon another monster!" He got a monster from his extra deck, then continued,

"Xyz Summon! Come! 'Number 22: Zombiestein!" Appearing before us now was a gargantuan monstrosity out of a horror movie...but...wait!

"Rank 8 - 4500 ATK"

4500 Attack?! We're dead! We're so dead!

"With that, I'll end my turn. Good luck getting past that.", he finished, cockily. Seeing the opposition before us, I fell to my knees in despair.

"I'm...I'm sorry, Yusuke...I couldn't do anything...", I said to him.

"No, you did just fine.", he said, getting ready to draw a card, "With what you've set up, we'll win the game this turn."

"We will?", I asked, looking up at him.

"Yeah. Pay close attention.", he said, confidently.

"It's my turn! Draw!", he shouted, violently pulling a card from his deck.


	5. The Final Turn - Rebellion Summon

"Alright. Show me what you've got, boss!", Kyouma called out to him, showing that he still had respect for him.

"First, I'll use Trade-in.", Yusuke said, regaining his calm and calculated manner. He discarded a normal monster that I didn't get to see, drew two cards, then continued.

"Now, I summon 'The White Stone of Legend' in Attack Mode.", he said. So, a small, glowing white stone appeared on his field...with...300 attack...

"Level 1 - 300 ATK"

If I learned anything this duel, it was that most people aren't stupid enough to summon a monster like that and do nothing. He had to be planning something.

"Next, I'll use the effect of my 'Sage Knight with the Eyes of Blue' in my hand. By targeting my White Stone Of Legend and sending it to the Graveyard along with her, I can Special Summon a monster from my deck.", he said, taking a card out of his deck. So, a woman with a bladed staff, wearing blue clothes appeared on the field briefly, destroying the white stone and then being destroyed herself.

Then, Yusuke slung a card onto the field.

"I Special Summon Blue-Eyes White Dragon.", he said. Light spewed from beneath him, and from it arose a great and mighty silver dragon with blue eyes.

"Level 8 - 3000 ATK"

3000 Attack on the first move...I guess they weren't kidding when they said he was super strong. But that was just a start, I hoped.

"Next, due to my White Stone's effect, I can add another Blue-Eyes to my hand.", and so another card came, "Then, I'll activate 'Ancient Rules'." And boom, another Blue-Eyes right on the field. Both Dragons roared at the other team at the same time, trying to intimidate them. That was great and all, but they weren't anywhere near powerful enough to take down that Zombiestein.

"Yuki, you have a card in your hand that can protect a light monster, right?", he asked me.

"Y-yeah.", I agreed, "How did you know?"

"I can see your hand and your field from my Duel Disk.", he explained, "Get ready to use the card. I'm about to show you how to Rebellion Summon."

"You are?!", I blurted.

"Now, I'll take Yuki's Miracle Dragon and Miracle Prime Dragon, and add them to the Reinforcement Zone.", he commanded.

"Reinforcement Zone?", Kyouma asked, "There's no such thing." But, sure enough, a zone appeared on the field specifically for them. They were added right to it, then Yusuke continued.

"What the...? That's a legal move?", the lieutenant asked.

"Things have changed since you left, Kyouma. Now that I've added those two monsters to the Reinforcement Zone, I can Special Summon a Rebellion Monster from my hand whose level is equal to or less than the total level of the monsters I just sent to the Reinforcement Zone. Also, if the monsters I sent are listed specifically on that Rebellion Monster's card, I can also Special Summon it from my deck. However, this monster can only remain on the field if those monsters stay in my Reinforcement Zone, and those monsters are still able to be targeted by card effects. The monsters in the Reinforcement Zone also can't be used for Synchro, Xyz, or Tribute Summoning.", he explained.

"So that's Rebellion Summoning...", I murmured.

"Let's go.", he said, taking a monster from his deck. As he did, all of his comrades around him exploded with energy and cheers, egging him on. Both of my Miracle Dragon's flew into the air, then swirled downwards and slammed into the ground, creating a huge crack, and the shouts of warriors spewed forth from it.

"Great dragon of unlimited power, spread your wings and unleash your wrath upon your oppressors!", he chanted, "Rebellion Summon! Arawareyo! Level Ten! Fury-Eyes Prime Miracle Dragon!" And just like that, and enormous, black and gold dragon with feathery torn wings, and glowing yellow eyes came from the crack and took up a huge part of the field.

"Level 10 - 4000 ATK"

"Four thousand attack?!", I shouted, surprised.

"Now I use it's effect. I can select one monster on the field and negate it's effects until the End Phase. Then for every level beyond Fury-Eyes's own in the combined level of all monsters in the Reinforcement Zone, I can decrease that monster's attack by three hundred. Since there are six extra levels in the Reinforcement Zone, that means I can decrease a monster's attack by eighteen hundred. However, monsters targeted by this effect cannot be destroyed by battle this turn."

And so, the giant dragon roared, flew up into the air, and spread it's wings. From them, piercing light shot straight at Zombiestein, hitting him directly and lowering his attack to 2700 in an instant as he roared in pain and fell down on one knee.

"I'm not done yet.", Yusuke said, triumphantly, "Next, I'll take both of my Blue-Eyes White Dragons and Overlay them for an Xyz Summon." A card came from his extra deck, and he put it on the field, beginning another chant. A galaxy portal opened up beneath him, and his Blue Eyes flew into it, preparing for the Xyz Summon.

"Great dragon of world shaking power and devastating wrath, appear now to smash my enemies to pieces!", he called, "Xyz Summon! Arawareyo! Rank Eight! Earthshatter Dragon!"

"Rank 8 - 3000 ATK"

A large, stone dragon expelling fire everywhere appeared before us, and the entire area was affected as well.

"Yuki, the cards.", he called to me. I looked at the field, trying to figure out what he meant, and when I noticed Earthshatter Dragon's effect, I knew what to do.

"I target Fury-Eyes Prime Miracle Dragon and activate my Quick-Play Spell Card, 'Hardlight Tunnel'! This turn, he can't be destroyed by card effects!", I called, "And then I'll activate my Trap Card, 'Resolve of the Oppressed'! Now, monsters in the Reinforcement Zone are also invulnerable to card effects this turn!"

"Now, I'll activate Earthshatter Dragon's effect! Once per turn, by detaching two Xyz Material monsters from this card, I can destroy all other monsters on the field!", Yusuke called out.

"You _what_?!", Kyouma exclaimed.

"Go, Earthshatter Dragon! Earthshattering Impact!", Yusuke shouted. And so, Earthshatter Dragon flew up into the air, then spread his wings wide, finally diving straight down at the ground and causing it to shake and crack, destroying both Zombiestein and Puppet of Strings, but sparing my monsters because of my card effects. Now their field was wide open, and since it was the last turn, Yusuke could attack. They would be left with 1000 Life Points if he attacked with both our monsters!

"I'm still not done.", Yusuke said.

"Still?!", the lieutenant shouted, outraged.

"Lastly, I'll activate 'Dragon's Mirror' from my hand, allowing me to banish Fusion Material Monsters from my field or Graveyard to Fusion Summon a monster from my extra deck."

With that, three Blue-Eyes White Dragons were removed from his Graveyard, and he began a Fusion Summon.

"O mighty dragon without equal, break through the darkness, and shine your white light upon the world!", he called, "Fusion Summon! Arawareyo! Level Twelve! Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon!" And so appeared a giant, silver, three headed dragon. It was massive and insanely intimidating.

"Level 12 - 4500 ATK"

"Now, Earthshatter Dragon! Attack them directly!", he ordered.

"Not so fast!", Kyouma exclaimed, "I activate Mirror Force!"

"I don't think so!", I shouted back, "I activate Trap Stun, negating all other Trap Cards this turn!"

And so, Earthshatter Dragon's attack went through, firing a blast of fiery energy right at them, taking them down to 5000 Life Points. The blast wasn't just holographic though. It damaged the area around them, causing real destruction and pushing them back. I guess that was why this area was so torn up.

"Blue-Eyes, Fury-Eyes, Attack! Twin Hyper Burst!", Yusuke finished. And with a final attack, combining a white blast of energy from Blue-Eyes and a fiery red blast from Fury-Eyes, we knocked their Life Points all the way down to 0. They were thrown back off their feet, landing on the ground behind them.

"You win!", the Duel Disk said.

Cheers came from all over, as Yusuke's friends all gathered around us. Shirley ran right up to me and hugged me tight.

"I'm so proud of you! You're a prodigy!", she squealed.

"No, it was thanks to Yusuke that we won.", I said, trying to give him credit.

"I wouldn't have been able to finish them like that if you hadn't summoned your two monsters. We both won.", Yusuke said, walking up to me, "I'm proud of you." I laughed and lowered my head, trying to hide my embarrassment, but more and more people came up to me, praising me. It felt really good. I was...somebody.

"Well...you beat us fair and square.", Kyouma said, walking up to us after he recovered. He took off his Duel Disk and held it out to Yusuke, saying,

"We'll comply with your demands. Twelve months it is.", he agreed.

"...Six months.", Yusuke said.

"...What?", Kyouma asked.

"I only said twelve months to see how compliant you'd be when we won. Since you're willing to cooperate, then I will settle for six months.", Yusuke agreed. Kyouma smiled, saying,

"Even after I killed some of your men, huh?."

"To be fair, that was your own men's fault. You didn't order them to kill any of my people, I'm sure.", Yusuke said.

"You're too kind.", Kyouma said, bowing humbly. He extended his hand to Yusuke, and Yusuke grabbed it back, shaking it firmly. Then, Kyouma raised his head and came over to me.

"I gotta say, for your first duel, that was incredible. You're gonna go on to be a great duelist.", he told me.

"Ahaha. Thank you, very much.", I said to him, laughing bashfully.

"I hate to ruin your fun, but it's getting late.", Yusuke said to me.

"What time is it?", I asked him.

"It's Nine O'clock.", he said.

"Oh crap! I gotta get home!", I shouted.

"Those officers probably didn't get a good look at you, so you should be fine to return to the surface. If anyone asks, just play dumb.", he added, "Come with me, and I'll show you out."

"Aww, you're leaving?", Shirley asked.

"Yeah, I gotta get back home. I have school tomorrow.", I explained.

"You'll come back, though. Won't you?", she asked.

"Yeah, you're one of us now! You can't just abandoned us!", Latch laughed. Everyone around us joined in.

"Of course I'll come again. I can't just leave you guys after all this, can I?", I replied. Everyone was happy to hear that.

"Come on. Let's get going.", Yusuke said to me, beginning to walk away. So, I quickly followed him. Everyone else stayed behind, letting us walk alone.

"Hey, I had a few questions I wanted to ask.", I said to him.

"Such as?", he asked.

"Well, you guys are up against the police, right?", I asked.

"Well, we're technically up against Security as a whole, but yes.", he answered.

"So...they have guns, right?", I asked.

"Yes."

"And you just have your Duel Disks?"

"For the most part."

"How are you supposed to summon your monsters faster than they can shoot you with a gun?"

"By preparing ahead of time.", he told me, "Our Duel Disks require that we follow the rules of the game. They won't allow illegal moves. That means we can't just summon our most powerful monsters off the bat. We need to adhere to the proper summoning rules. Therefore, we need to prepare ahead of time."

"How are you supposed to summon things if there's only one of you? Don't you need to initiate a duel to summon anything?", I questioned further.

"There's a mode on the Duel Disk that allows for a single duelist. You still have to follow the rules, but it will skip an opponent's turn. That's how we're able to fight alone.", he explained.

"Why don't you just take the officers' guns once you beat them?", I asked.

"Security uses weapons that utilize deteriorating energy rounds as ammo.", he said, "What that essentially means is that their ammo only works for a specific amount of time, and since they are the only people who produce ammo for their guns, their weapons become useless a while after we obtain them and there's no way for us to acquire a sufficient amount of ammo for it to be practical."

"So, that's why you rely on your monsters..."

"Yes. They're our only practical line of defense. Luckily, they're rather strong if we can bring them out. It's only when there's a large force attacking us that it becomes a problem.", he continued.

"Why don't they fight you with Duel Disks themselves? Wouldn't that even the odds?", I asked.

"They've sent people to do just that in the past. However, we're much more experienced and skilled than anyone they've sent. They have a much better chance at fighting us with guns.", he replied.

"So...have you...ever killed someone?", I asked him, timidly.

"Naturally. This is a war, after all, and you can't win a war without getting your hands dirty.", he responded, nonchalantly.

"Will I...have to kill someone if I stay here with you guys?", I asked, afraid of the answer.

"I doubt you'll ever need to, but if someone is threatening your life, it's either you or them.", he said, plainly. I looked down at the ground in thought. This was all fun and exciting and everything, but I never wanted to have to kill anyone.

"That necklace...", Yusuke commented, stopping.

"Hm?", I asked, looking up at him.

"Where did you get that necklace?", he asked me.

"Oh...this?", I said, holding it in between my fingers, "I got this from my Grandmother when she passed away."

"Hm...", Yusuke thought, "I wonder why she would have such a thing..."

"Do you know something about it?", I asked, curiously.

"It's nothing you need to concern yourself with at the moment. Telling you would only worry you.", he said to me, "I expect you'll find out in due time." Then we began walking again. Although I was still curious about my necklace, I decided to let it go and ask another question that was on my mind.

"So...if the production of Duel Monsters was stopped...how come you have so many cards and Duel Disks?", I asked.

"We have a supplier that gives us these things.", he revealed, "It seems that they have some way of printing them, as the cards we get are always in mint condition. These aren't some scavenged cards like we've had in the past. As for Duel Disks, they seem to be refurbished. Occasionally, they'll send us a new model."

"Who?"

"We don't know. None of the crates have any return addresses, and the person who sent it only identifies as 'A Comrade'."

"So, they're a friend?"

"In the attached notes they have sent in the past, they've said that they were waiting for someone to take charge and rise up against the Dominion. They said as long as we fight to liberate the world from the Dominion, they will be happy to supply us with equipment.", he explained.

"Wow...that's pretty useful."

"What's more is that they design new cards.", he said, "For example, my Canvas Dragon and your Miracle Dragon. Those cards were only recently created. Same with every Rebellion monster. It never existed before, so these people have the capacity to create new cards and rules as well."

"Do you think it's some secret company helping you?", I asked him.

"Most likely. The frequency in which they supply us and the number of cards they can produce couldn't be done by a handful of people, and there's no way a single person could invent new rules."

After some more walking, we were at another elevator. This wasn't the one we came in from.

"What's this?", I asked.

"This will take you to our outpost on Fourth Street, in the residential area. And take this.", he said, handing me a card.

"Raising the Rebellion Flag", it said.

"What's this for?", I asked.

"Look for that symbol around the city. If you follow the trail, it should lead you to one of our outposts. If the people there ask who you are, show them that card. They'll let you in.", he explained.

"Okay...", I mumbled, looking at it intently.

"Put your Duel Disk and deck in your bag. If anyone from Security sees you with one, you could be in danger.", he told me.

"Then why don't I leave it here?", I asked him.

"For protection. If Security somehow targets you, you'll need a way to defend yourself.", he explained, "So, let's go."

We stepped inside the elevator and began ascending higher and higher. Since it was going to take a while, I decided to ask him one last question.

"Why can't people know that you're a Tachibana?", I asked him, now that we were alone.

"My father is the CEO of Tachibana Corp, but he's also one of the heads of Security.", he told me.

"So...he's your enemy?"

"Exactly."

"Doesn't that make you sad?"

"My father has been my enemy for years, even before I started the Rebellion. This just gives me a reason to take him down.", he said, showing a deep hatred in his voice.

"I see...", I said, letting the subject go.


	6. Powers Awakening - The Ancient Secret

I had to apologize to my mom about seventy million times while she lectured me for about an hour on why I shouldn't stay out so late. I didn't realize it when I was underground, but I was actually really tired. With so much excitement and action going on, at the end of it all I was exhausted. Immediately after I was done getting yelled at by my mom, I went right upstairs and laid down, trying to go to sleep. Everything that happened today was so exciting though. Despite how tired I was, my mind was still moving at a hundred miles per second. I mean...I was apart of a rebellion now! ...Wasn't I?

Yusuke did say that I was one of them, but he never said that I was a rebel explicitly. I guess I don't really have anything against the Dominion personally, and I'm not attached to my Japanese heritage like the people down there are...was I really part of this rebellion? As I thought about this, I flipped through my cards, looking at and reading all of them.

Now that I looked through them all, I saw Yusuke was right. I did have every Summoning method available to me. I had Pendulum Monsters, Ritual Monsters, Synchros and Xyzs, and even Rebellion Monsters. As I looked through each of my cards, I noticed that some of them had effects that only activated while they were in the Reinforcement Zone. For example, my Miracle Dragon had an effect that could negate the destruction of a Rebellion Monster once per turn, but that monster couldn't attack on the same turn it was used. That effect could only be activated while it was in the Reinforcement Zone, though. What's more was that the large majority of my monsters had those effects, even my Pendulum, Ritual, and Extra Deck Monsters.

I guess my deck was built around being able to Rebellion Summon and use as many effects as possible. I also saw what Yusuke meant when he said that Rebellion Summoning is like the opposite to Pendulum Summoning. Instead of getting lots of monsters out of the field at one time, it's about using a lot of monsters to Summon a really powerful one. The more monsters you used for the Summon, the greater their effects were and the more effects you could activate from the Reinforcement Zone.

When I looked over them, I realized that this could get to outrageous levels. I could use Miracle Dragon and Miracle Prime Dragon to Summon a Level 12 monster, then use that monster to Special Summon a Level 4, then Rebellion Summon into another monster. That would give me a total of 32 Levels in the Reinforcement Zone. Then, combine that with a card like this 'Miracle Rebellion Dragon', and he would gain 2200 attack off the bat...that's 6200 attack total. Granted, that takes a lot of setup, but it would probably be worth it.

This deck was amazing. The only problem was that Rebellion Summoning was kind of niche. If you didn't have a way to protect your Reinforcement Zone, your Rebellion Monsters wouldn't be very tough...and compared to Pendulum Summoning, you were riding all your hopes on a single monster instead of a bunch of weaker monsters. The strategy to this kind of Summoning seemed to be overwhelming your opponent with sheer force...

As I read through all these cards, I began to feel sleepy. So, I collected them all together, put them away, then closed my eyes and went to sleep.

That night, I had another dream about my necklace.

"You've finally seen it with your own eyes.", she said. I say "she" because it had a female's voice. I guess since it was a necklace, it didn't really have a gender.

"Yeah...I have.", I said back, seeing nothing but darkness.

"Are you prepared to see more?", she asked.

"I don't know.", I confessed.

"Now is your only chance to turn back. If you go with Yusuke again, you will have crossed the point of no return.", she told me, "If you are prepared to live your life as a rebel, then go to him."

"What if I don't want to live as a rebel?", I asked her.

"Then you must turn away.", she said. I thought about it deeply, not really knowing what I wanted to do.

"Do you want me to go with him?", I asked .

"To fulfill your destiny, you must.", she explained.

"Then why are you giving me the option to refuse, if it's my destiny?"

"Because it is a choice that you, alone, must make."

"What happens if I don't join the rebellion?"

"They will fail."

"They'll fail if I don't join them?"

"Yes. But, if you choose to avoid them, it will have no consequence to you. You will continue to live as a Domino citizen, unaffected by the actions of the rebellion. They will be annihilated, and you will remain unchanged.", she said, "Knowing that, will you refuse the call?"

Before I could answer, I was beginning to wake up.

"Oh! She's waking up!", I heard a girl laugh. When I opened my eyes, I saw a figure with bright white hair leaning over me. When I got my bearings, I saw that she had golden eyes as well. The more I came to, the more I realized that I had seen her before. This was...

Miracle Priestess Iroha?! I jumped up, shocked and in disbelief.

"W-Who are you?!", I barked, backing up against the wall.

"Have you forgotten me already?", she asked, "You used me in your first duel, didn't you?"

"I-Iroha...?", I mumbled.

"So, you do remember me!", she giggled, smiling brightly.

"How are you...here? Did I leave me Duel Disk on...?", I muttered, looking around the room.

"You've never seen a Duel Monster Spirit before?", she asked me.

"A Duel Monster Spirit?", I asked, confused.

"We are the Spirits that your Duel Monsters embody. We have existed far longer than the cards you possess.", she explained.

"So...wait...Duel Monster cards are...based off of you guys?", I asked.

"Mhm!", she agreed, "Though we've never met like this before. It seems you've just awakened to your power."

"My power...?", I asked.

"Some people are born with the ability to see Duel Monster Spirits. Others awaken to it after they come in contact with someone else who possesses the ability.", she told me. While I was trying to comprehend this, I looked around my room until my eyes locked on the clock.

"Oh crap! I'm gonna be late!", I shouted, quickly getting off my bed and grabbing my school uniform.

"Are you going somewhere?", Iroha asked.

"Yeah, I gotta go to school!", I told her.

"Your school? I'd like to see that!", she replied, happily. I didn't really want her to come with me, but I didn't have time to argue. I got dressed, got my bag, and ran out the door. If I ran the whole way, I would make it before the bell rang. As I ran, Iroha flew beside me.

"Wow...the human world has changed so much...", she mumbled.

"Changed?", I asked, still running, "What do you mean?"

"The last time I visited the human world, it was far less advanced.", she told me, "And my master was a man."

"A man?", I asked, "Who was he?"

"I believe his name was Giorno.", she told me.

"That's a strange name...", I replied.

"He was a very nice person.", she added. So, I ran all the way to school. By the time I reached the front of the school, I was still five minutes early, somehow. So, I stopped to catch my breath as I put my school shoes on.

"This school is very interesting. Giorno's school didn't have separate shoes for the building. I'm amused!", Iroha said.

"Yeah, well, it's just what we do here. We've done it ever since preschool.", I informed her.

"We've done what ever since preschool?", I heard someone ask in front of me. Looking up, I saw it was Daisuke.

"Daisuke!", I exclaimed, happy to see him again.

"What the hell happened to you yesterday? I tried calling you after you'd run off, but it went straight to voicemail. What were you doing all day long?", he asked.

"It's...a long story.", I mumbled. He sighed, saying,

"You know...I feel kind of hurt that you can't tell your best friend what's bothering you.", he said, being serious for once, "That's what I'm here for. That's what I've always been here for."

Realizing he was right, and feeling pretty crumby for keeping everything from him, I stood up and said,

"You're right...I'm sorry. At lunch, I'll explain everything to you. You might not believe anything I'm gonna say...but you deserve to know. But, you can't tell anyone. No matter what. Promise?"

"Who me? Spreading around secrets?", he joked, "In all seriousness, yes, I promise." So, I walked forward and hugged him tightly.

"Thanks, Daisuke.", I said.

"W-well...y-you're welcome. Ahaha!", he laughed, trying to play it cool. So, we walked together to class, chatting like we normally did. But, when we got to class, I saw an older woman standing in front of Yusuke's desk, talking to him. He was ignoring her though, so I figured she was a teacher or something. I went and sat down in my seat, then looked over to Yusuke and said,

"Good morning!"

He glanced over at me briefly, then looked away, ignoring me. After everything we had been through? He's just gonna ignore me?

"Hey, I'm talking to you!", I said, tugging on his shirt. Still, he ignored me.

"Hmph! Fine, ignore me! See what I care...", I mumbled. What a jerk...after we even dueled together...just ignoring me like that.

"Hey...uh...since when have you talked to Tachibana?", Daisuke asked me.

"Oh...uh...he dropped something yesterday, so I returned it to him.", I said.

"Is that why you ran out of the classroom?", he asked.

"Yeah.", I agreed.

"That would explain why you ran off in a hurry.", he replied. I looked up at the woman who was speaking with Yusuke and smiled, saying,

"Please don't mind him. He never talks to anyone."

"...You can see me?", she asked.

"Of course I can see you.", I told her. At that moment, Yusuke grabbed me by the hand and pulled me out of my seat, dragging me out of the classroom.

"Wait! Where are we going?", I asked. As he pulled me out, the entire classroom exploded with noise and gossip. Yusuke didn't stop outside the classroom. He drug me all the way down the hall, almost to the entry way.

"You saw her?", he asked.

"Y-yeah...?", I stuttered, confused at the question. Iroha came up behind me and said,

"Sorry, Giorno. I didn't tell her that woman was a Duel Monster Spirit."

"Wait, you're Giorno?", I asked him.

"You have me mistaken for someone else.", he said to Iroha.

"You can see Iroha?!", I blurted out.

"Listen. Nobody at this school can see Duel Monster Spirits unless they've dealt with the cards themselves. The reason I wasn't replying to Minerva was because she's a Duel Monster Spirit and nobody could see her anyway.", he explained. That's when the girl from before flew up next to him.

"He never responds to me, anyway. I just like to talk to him.", she told me, "It's nice to meet you. I'm Minerva." I was frozen. Paralyzed. Dumbstruck.

"We'll talk about this later. For now, you need to pretend they don't exist. Otherwise, people are going to think something's up.", Yusuke explained, "And as far as we're concerned, you and I are strangers while we're at school." He began walking back to class, and as he did, the bell rung and class began. I quickly followed behind him, with Iroha and Minerva behind me.

As we got near the classroom, we could hear the class still buzzing with gossip. When we walked in, everyone quickly got quiet. Yusuke walked ahead and sat down in his desk, looking out the window, and I followed suit. But, the daggers that all the girls were staring at me were starting to hurt. Immediately after I sat down, the teacher came in, and we started class. For the first time in a few days, I was actually able to focus. I guess now that I could make sense of my dreams and everything, I was able to concentrate. Iroha minded her own business quietly, watching class.

When lunch rolled around, I took Daisuke with me up to the roof to explain everything to him. Iroha helped me with the small details that I didn't understand. It took me a while to get everything out, but once I did, he looked at me incredulously.

"Are you sure you didn't dream all this up?", he asked.

"Yes, I'm sure!", I said.

"Alright! Alright! It's fine, I believe you. It's just a pretty crazy story.", he said. Realizing that he still didn't fully buy it, I went into my bag and pulled out my Duel Disk.

"This is the Duel Disk I was talking about.", I told him.

"Really?", he asked, walking closer to me to look at it. I set it on my arm and then hit engage, strapping it to me.

"Whoa!", Daisuke cried out. I took out my deck and put it in the slot, then hit the on button, and a screen came up that I've never seen before.

"Searching for opponent...", it said, waiting for a while, "No opponent found. Enter training mode?" So I hit yes, and the action field turned on. Daisuke saw the field expanding from my Duel Disk and was tripping out. I was having a lot of fun, showing this all to him. It was like showing off a new toy I got to a friend in elementary school.

I drew five cards, then saw I had Iroha in my hand again. I figured I could Synchro Summon with her and show Daisuke something cool. But, before I could do it, the door to the roof opened, and there stood Yusuke.

"I had a feeling you were going to tell him everything.", he said, disapprovingly.

"Well, he's my best friend. What do you expect?", I replied, defiantly. Yusuke walked right up to Daisuke, then put two fingers on his forehead.

"Uh...Tachibana? What are you-"

"Forget everything she just showed you.", Yusuke commanded. At that moment, a bright light came from the back of his hand, and a glowing golden symbol appeared on Daisuke's forehead. Daisuke froze, eyes widened, like he was struck with lightning.

"I told you that you can't tell anyone about me. And you shouldn't tell anyone about the rebellion, either.", Yusuke said to me.

Once Yusuke removed his hand, Daisuke snapped out of his confusion for a moment, but put his hand on his head like he had a headache.

"Oh...my head...", he mumbled. Yusuke walked over to me and tapped a button on my Duel Disk, shutting it off instantly.

"What are you...?", I mumbled, confused.

"Hm? What was I doing up here...?", Daisuke muttered. He looked over and saw Yusuke and me standing there, to which he commented,

"Tachibana? When did you get here?"

"Daisuke...you...really don't remember?", I asked him.

"Remember what?", he asked.

"What did you do?!", I barked at Yusuke.

"I'll explain later.", he said, beginning to walk away, "If you tell him again, I'll just do the same thing." Feeling a furious anger building up inside me, I said something that I never thought I'd say.

"I challenge you to a duel!", I shouted at him. He stopped in place.

"If I win, Daisuke will be allowed to know about everything going on!", I continued.

"You realize who you're challenging? I've never been defeated before.", he boasted, "True, you have a powerful deck and a lot of promise, but you lack experience."

"Even so, for Daisuke's sake, I have to try!", I replied.

"You realize that if you tell him, you'll be endangering him as well?", he asked me.

"That's...true...", I mumbled, "But Daisuke is my best friend. If he knew that I was diving into this sort of thing, he would dive in with me!" Yusuke thought about it for a moment, then replied,

"Very well. But if I win, you will commit yourself to the Rebellion, and Daisuke will join us as well."

"Fine!", I agreed, "You're on!"

"Then we'll have our match at the Dueling Grounds, after school.", Yusuke said.

"Why don't we have it right here?", I asked him, "Unless...you're scared." He paused, obviously aware I was baiting him. But, he just sighed and said,

"I don't care that you think I'm scared, but since this is so important to you, I'll make an exception this once.", he told me.

"Um...excuse me...what are you guys _talking_ about?", Daisuke asked me.

"You'll see soon enough, Daisuke. I'm going to show you what's been bothering me, and why I was gone yesterday.", I told him.

"A-alright...", he mumbled.

"I'll return shortly. And for the record, this duel will have a twenty minute time limit. Whoever has more Life Points at the end will be the winner, if I haven't already won.", he told me.

"I'll be the one who wins this.", I argued, confidently.

"Sore wa dou ka na...", he mumbled, walking away.


	7. Showdown! - Yusuke vs Yuki

**A/N: I am aware that negating a summon and destroying a card prevents you from Special Summoning it from the Graveyard, but that rule has been changed to accommodate Rebellion Summon in this series. There are other changes as well, but instead of adding an author's note, they were to be explained next chapter. It was suggested to me that I add this in just in case.**

* * *

Yusuke and I stood on opposite ends of the roof, activating our Duel Disks and getting ready to start the match. As part of our agreement, Daisuke wasn't allowed to watch. Iroha and Minerva disappeared, probably trying to stay out of the way. It was just Yusuke and I now.

"Just so you know, I'm using my Blue-Eyes deck. Are you ready?", Yusuke asked me.

"What? Taking it easy on me?", I asked, playfully, "Not using your main deck?"

"No. I just don't have my main deck on me.", he replied, flatly.

"...you know, you could have just said 'Maybe', or something like that.", I noted, feeling a bit disappointed that he didn't play along.

"Why would lie about something so trivial?", he asked, cluelessly. I put my hand on my head, sighed and said,

"Shirley's got it tough..."

"What's _that_ supposed mean?", he asked, still not getting it.

"Just forget it. Let's duel.", I replied, exasperated.

"Fine. Since I'm the one being challenged, I'll take the first move.", Yusuke said. He drew five cards, then briefly looked over them.

"Hm...nothing you can do about a bad hand, I suppose.", he said, "I'll set one monster face down, then set two more cards and end my turn." Now that I was paying attention, I realized that the way he activated and played his cards was so cool. The way he set them on the field I mean. It was just one fluid motion, like he was swinging his arm over his Duel Disk and slinging his cards onto his field.

"How do you do that?", I asked him.

"Do what?", he asked back.

"You use your cards so...stylishly like that. You play them so fast and so smoothly, and you almost flick them onto the field. It doesn't look humanly possible.", I elaborated.

"When your life depends on playing these cards, you learn to be efficient.", he told me, "You'll learn over time. I've just had plenty of practice."

"Will I really be able to do that?", I asked, surprised.

"Probably. But, anyway, it's your turn.", he told me.

"Alright...my turn.", I said, drawing a card. I looked over all my options, and noticed that I drew Iroha once again. I must have had a few copies of her in my deck, because I was drawing her every time.

"First, I'll Summon Miracle Priestess - Iroha!", I called, putting her on the field, "Then I'll use her effect to Special Summon Miracle Warrior - Shinichiro from my deck!" So, Shinichiro appeared.

"Now, I'll Synchro Summon for a Level Eight!", I said, choosing my Miracle Prime Dragon again. So, Iroha flew up into the air, turning into a wireframe and combining with Shinichiro, then into a bright white light. Then, from above descended Miracle Prime Dragon.

"Level 8 - 3000 ATK"

"Sorry to disappoint you, Yuki, but you triggered my Trap Card.", Yusuke said, a card on his field flipping up, "Solemn Strike." From his card came a huge lightning bolt that pierced right through my Miracle Prime Dragon, and instantly, he was destroyed.

"By paying fifteen hundred Life Points, I can negate a Special Summon and destroy whatever it was.", he explained. And so, his Life Points decreased to 2500.

"Aw, man!", I cried. I had already used up my Normal Summon for that turn, so all I could do was set a couple Trap Cards and end my turn. Though, I'm surprised he would pay 1500 Life Points just to stop my Miracle Prime Dragon. Since we were on a time limit, that put him at a disadvantage.

"Well...I'll set two cards and end my turn.", I said.

"Then, I'll activate my other Trap Card. 'Solemn Confiscation'.", he said, another card flipping up, "I can activate this card during your End Phase, and by increasing your Life Points by one thousand, any monsters destroyed by a 'Solemn' Trap Card this turn are Special Summoned to my side of the field."

"What?!", I gasped. Before my very eyes, his Trap Card shot a bright light into my Graveyard, pulling my card out and bringing it to his field. At that moment, my Miracle Prime Dragon was Special Summoned on his field, roaring at me like it didn't even know me.

"Oh no...", I mumbled in despair.

"It's my turn.", Yusuke said, calmly, "I draw." Things were already looking terrible for me, and it was his second turn. If I hadn't Synchro Summoned, I would have been safe. He counted on me Special Summoning a strong monster this turn...his forethought is amazing. But...why was he purposefully draining his own Life Points and giving me more? We agreed that whoever had more Life Points by the end of the time limit won...so he was making it even harder on himself. He must have been absolutely sure he was going to win.

I guess it was up to me to smash that idea of his.

"First, I'll Summon 'Summoner Monk' in attack mode. But, because of his effect, he's changed to defense.", he said, his monster appearing. 'Summoner Monk'. It was a very scary looking man in a long purple and white robe. He had long white hair, and some sort of red gem on his hat. His skin was blue and faded, and he had an angry face.

"Level 4 - 1600 DEF"

"Now I'll use his effect. I can discard a Spell Card and Special Summon a Level Four monster from my deck, but that monster can't attack.", he explained, a card coming out of the middle of his deck, "I choose 'Mist Valley Soldier'." He placed it on the field in attack mode.

"Level 4 - 1700 ATK"

It was a man in a blue robe with giant white wings, carrying two daggers. He would have been appealing if it weren't for his huge muscles and angry face. He looked like some kind of body-builder or something. It was pretty gross.

"Mist Valley Soldier is a Tuner, so...you know the deal.", he replied, unenthusiastically. Summoner Monk and Mist Valley Soldier flew up into the air, synchronizing together into a blinding stream of light. Then, another monster took form.

"Synchro Summon. Level Eight. Stardust Spark Dragon.", he said. Now _this_ was a beautiful creature. It was huge, glittery, and had beautiful blue and white wings. It was gorgeous. It also had golden sparkles coming off of it.

"Level 8 - 2500 ATK"

" _Ooh_...I want one of those.", I noted, looking it over thoroughly.

"Tell you what. If you beat me, you can have it.", Yusuke said.

"Really?!", I exclaimed.

"Mhm.", he agreed.

" _Really_ really? I won't let you go back on it!", I urged him.

"You're not gonna win, anyway, so it doesn't even matter.", he boasted, "But, yes. You have my word. Moving along..."

So he had a Stardust Spark Dragon and my Miracle Prime Dragon on the field with a grand total of 5500 Attack between them.

One direct attack and I was through. Luckily I had Mirror Force and Negate Attack face down, so I was safe for at least two turns.

"Now, I'll overlay them.", he continued, unceremoniously.

"Wait, what?", I asked, surprised at his choice.

The galactic vortex opened once more and both of the monsters flew inside as streams of light.

"Xyz Summon, Rank Eight, Hieratic Sun Dragon Overlord of Heliopolis, yadda yadda yadda.", he announced, dryly. And so came a giant, flaming dragon, full of bright orange and yellow colors. He was actually really pretty. Definitely not as scary as Fury-Eyes, and not as pretty as Stardust, but he had really pretty colors.

"Rank 8 - 3000 ATK"

"You know, this isn't looking like a bad hand for you at all.", I commented.

"It's not terrible, but it's not as good as the hands I draw most of the time.", he replied.

" _Yeah, whatever_.", I moaned, not buying it.

"Anyway, I don't like those face downs you have. So, I'll be activating my Sun Dragon's effect.", he said, "By detaching one Xyz Material, I can Tribute monsters from my hand or field and destroy and equal number of cards on field. I'll discard the card in my hand and the monster on my field to destroy your two face downs." The monster on his field flipped up to reveal another White Stone of Legend, then the card in his hand was sent to the Graveyard as well.

"Sun Dragon. Do it.", he ordered. So the Dragon flew up in the air, then charged up a blast of fire, spraying it onto my back row and destroying both of my trap cards.

"And...", Yusuke said, drawing out the word, "I sent the White Stone of Legend to the Grave. So, you know what means." So, he got another Blue-Eyes from his deck into his hand.

"Battle Phase. Attack directly. But, uh...", he finished, whispering something to the Dragon at the end. The Dragon flew over to me, staring at me. I backed up a bit, frozen in fear. If this thing attacked me with it's full power...I could die. For some reason, instead of blasting me to smithereens with all his might, he leaned forward and gently blew on my face. Well, as gentle as a giant dragon could be. It messed up my hair and pushed me back a bit, but it didn't hurt. I didn't really believe it at first, but I was pretty sure that Yusuke ordered his dragon not to hurt me in his attack. I wasn't going to mention it, though, because he would probably deny it. With that attack, my Life Points dropped from 5000 to 2000. I was losing by 500 now.

"You're really gonna need to pull something amazing if you want to survive my next turn.", he warned me, "I still have an Xyz Material on my Sun Dragon, and I'll have three sacrifices for it."

"Three? You'll only have two cards to spare on your next turn.", I argued.

"Oh, right.", he said, forgetting, "Now that it's my End Phase, the card that I sent to the Graveyard triggers." And immediately, he got another card from his deck, but instead of adding to his hand, he summoned it. A Blue-Eyes monster...but not Blue-Eyes White Dragon. It was a different one that stood on four legs, and it wasn't really silver, either. It was just white and blue.

"Level 8 - 2500 ATK"

"This is 'White Ka Dragon'. He's treated as a Blue-Eyes Monster.", he told me, "The card I discarded was 'White Stone of Antiquity'. When it's in my Graveyard during the End Phase, and it was sent there on the same turn, I can Special Summon a 'Blue-Eyes' Monster from my deck. But, that concludes my turn."

"O-okay...Draw!", I yelled, pulling a card. Looking at my hand, I didn't seem to have many options. As I read through the effects, I started to formulate a plan. I have 'Miracle Princess - Yukari' in my hand, and when she's targeted by an effect, she can special summon a Miracle Monster from my Graveyard. I have "Forbidden Lance' in my hand as well, so I can target her with that...but what do I have in my Graveyard?

Taking a look, I saw that Yusuke had detached my Miracle Prime Dragon from his Sun Dragon, so if I used this combo, I could bring out my Miracle Prime Dragon again, and then Synchro for a higher level...

"I'd like to remind you that we're on a time limit.", Yusuke said to me, as I was thinking, "We don't have all day to formulate plans."

"I'm thinking.", I snarked at him, "You can't rush perfection, you know."

"Need I remind you that you're behind?", he retorted.

"At least I didn't blow fifteen hundred Life Points on a single card like _some_ people.", I replied.

"You know, that isn't very sportsmanlike to-"

"Bleh!", I mocked, sticking my tongue out.

"Alright, little girl. You're going down.", he said, seriously.

" _Oh_ , did I make you mad?", I asked, teasing him even further.

"You'll get your answer next turn. Just wait.", he assured me.

" _Scary!_ ", I continued.

"Just make your damn move.", he ordered, getting frustrated. Well, at least I knew that I could still push his buttons. He wasn't completely stoic.

"First, I'll Summon 'Miracle Princess - Yukari'!", I called, putting her on my field.

"Level 2 - 300 ATK"

"Then, I'll target her and activate Forbidden Lance! And because she was targeted, she lets me Special Summon a monster from my Graveyard with "Miracle" in the name. I choose Miracle Prime Dragon!" With that, my Dragon was back...for a moment.

"Now, I'll tune my Miracle Princess Yukari with my Miracle Prime Dragon!", and so it began. The next stage in my comeback. I chose a monster from my Extra Deck, then put it down on the field.

"Synchro Summon! Level Ten! Miracle Emperor Dragon!", I called out, triumphantly.

"Level 10 - 3500 ATK"

"Now his effect triggers! When he's Synchro Summoned, I can destroy all other Special Summoned monsters on the field!", I said, triumphantly. Miracle Emperor Dragon flew up into the air, then spread his wings, launching thousands of feathers down at Yusuke's monsters.

"I'll activate the Spell Card I sent to my Graveyard, 'Gospel of Revival'.", Yusuke announced, "If a Dragon-type monster I control would be destroyed, I can banish Gospel of Revival from my Graveyard instead."

And so, a giant, glowing shield covered his Sun Dragon, but his White Ka Dragon was destroyed.

"How do like _that_?", I shouted, super proud of myself. After the chaos died down, Yusuke replied,

"To be fair, I wasn't expecting to have to use that card. So...good move."

"O-oh...uh...thanks...ahaha!", I laughed, caught of guard by his sudden sweetness. I was fully expecting something like, "No big deal. You'll get what's coming to you next turn" or something like that.

"I saw the possibility of you Summoning Miracle Emperor Dragon, but I wasn't expecting you to be observant enough to actually do it.", he added.

"...and you ruined it.", I said, dryly, "Well, he's still strong enough to take on your Sun Dragon! Battle!" So, my Emperor Dragon backed up a bit, then flew right at his Sun Dragon and slashed him, destroying him, doing 500 damage to Yusuke. Now we were both at 2000.

"Hmph! I guess you weren't planning on that, huh?", I boasted.

"I was. I just saved my Sun Dragon so I could mitigate the damage I was going to take.", he told me, "Does that conclude your turn?"

"I'll set one more card, _then_ end my turn.", I told him.

"My turn, then.", he said, "I draw." He only had two cards in his hand, and nothing on his field. One of his cards was a Blue-Eyes, and he had nothing to Tribute for it, but even if he had another Ancient Rules or anything, it still wasn't strong enough to take on my Emperor Dragon.

"Alright...By revealing this Blue-Eyes in my hand, I'll Special Summon 'Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon'.", he said, Summoning another monster to his field. This monster looked similar to Blue-Eyes, but it was much more sinister looking. It had sharper edges and more evil eyes. It also had glowing details on its body.

"Level 8 - 3000 ATK"

"Sorry, but that's still not strong enough to attack my Emperor Dragon.", I bragged.

"It doesn't need to be, because I can use its effect.", he told me, "One per turn, I can destroy a monster on the field."

"You can _what_?!", I blurted out.

"Say Goodbye to your Miracle Dragon.", he told me. His Blue-Eyes let out a great roar, then charged up his white and blue energy breath and fired, destroying my Miracle Dragon. My field was wide open, but I had a Threatening Roar on my field. I was hoping that wouldn't get destroyed.

"Unfortunately, my monster can't attack the same turn it used that effect, so you're free for one more turn. But next-", Yusuke was cut off by the bell ringing.

"Well. That's the end of this duel.", he told me. I was a bit thrown off at first. It didn't feel like we were dueling for twenty minutes. Maybe five minutes. I guess time really flies when you're occupied...but...who won? When I looked at my Duel Disk, I realized we were tied. While I was debating if neither of us win or if both of us won, I remembered the terms of the duel. If I won, I would get to tell Daisuke everything. But, if Yusuke won, Daisuke would have to join us. So, either way, I'd get to tell him about everything. Yusuke...

"You...planned it this way, didn't you?", I asked Yusuke, looking back up at him.

"I don't know what you're talking about.", he said, nonchalantly.

"Your terms. No matter who won, I would get to tell Daisuke about everything.", I told him, "You realized how much it meant to me, didn't you?"

"Don't get the wrong idea.", he said, turning around, "I have my reasons."

"And what would those be?", I asked. He paused, probably trying to come up with a reason he didn't have.

"...I figured Daisuke would join us either way. We need every able body we can get. That's all.", he said, trying to keep his cool.

"And what about your Sun Dragon taking it easy on me when he attacked directly? What's your reason for that?", I prodded further.

"...I can't go and cripple you. We need you to be able to fight.", he replied.

"You liar.", I said, smiling, "You can try and hide it, but you care about me, don't you?" He didn't answer at first, he just began walking away.

"Don't you?", I called again.

"Urusai na, omae wa.", he said to me in Japanese. I didn't understand what it meant, but I figured it was something nice that he didn't want me to hear.

"I'll take that as a compliment!", I called out to him.

"It wasn't a compliment.", he called back.


	8. A Hard Choice - Finding It In Your Heart

So, we decided that Yusuke and I both won...sort of. It was a draw, so we compromised. I got to tell Daisuke about everything, but he wasn't forced to join the Rebellion. For some reason, though, I feel like Yusuke was taking it easy on me. He never even used a Rebellion Summon. Add to that, he didn't have to destroy and take control of my Prime Dragon at the start. He probably could have just destroyed it later. On top of that, he said that he foresaw me Special Summoning my Prime Dragon from the Graveyard, then Synchro Summoning for Prime Dragon. If that's true, then he should have just detached his Stardust instead, making it impossible for me to get my Dragon back. The more I thought about it, the more it became clear that he wasn't trying his hardest.

Either way, I finally got to tell Daisuke about everything. We were standing at the bottom of the stairs after school, in the far back of the building where nobody hung out. I told him about the Rebellion, the underground city, Yusuke's secret identity, Duel Monsters, and our forgotten history. After I explained everything, Daisuke got really serious again.

"...and...you learned all this yesterday?", he asked me.

"Yeah.", I confirmed.

"...well you're certainly taking this information in your stride.", he replied.

"What do you mean?", I asked back.

"Doesn't that bother you? That everything you've been taught in school was wrong?", he questioned me.

"Well...honestly...not really.", I told him, "It's like...I'm not surprised, somehow." It might have had something to do with all those necklace dreams.

"And how do you even know he's telling the truth?"

"I...", I stopped, thinking about my response, "Well...I don't think he's lying. The underground city and all the people who agree with him are enough evidence for me."

"And because of your dreams?", he asked.

"...Yeah.", I agreed, "And Iroha."

"...and about these Duel Monster Spirits...", he continued, "If they're what the cards are based on, who was the one to see these spirits and design the cards that way in the first place?"

"I guess...the creator?", I assumed, not really knowing the answer. Daisuke sighed, wanting to believe and me and just go along with me, but struggling to do so.

"Are you sure you wanna go along with this?", he asked me, legitimately concerned about me, "If you keep this up...you'll be an outlaw, just like them. You might not be able to go to school or see your family anymore. Are you really okay with that?"

Again, he had another solid point.

"And...I don't want to be rude to Tachibana or anything, but isn't what he's doing the same as Domino?", he pressed.

" _What_?!", I exclaimed, deeply offended for some reason. Maybe it was because I was putting all my trust in Yusuke that it bothered me so much. Because saying Yusuke is bad is like saying my judgement is bad or something.

"It's just...he says Domino is absorbing everyone and taking away their individuality, but according to you, he's doing the same thing with the gangs underground, isn't it?", he argued.

"You make a fair argument, but you're wrong on a fundamental level.", Yusuke said, walking down the stairs to see us, "I'm uniting everyone under one banner, while maintaining each individual's identity. In addition, I teach the people who follow me to embrace their heritage, be they Japanese or any other race. I teach them that we're more than just Dominos."

Daisuke was surprised to see him, as was I. We thought he was still in the classroom. Daisuke was hesitant to agree with him, but he realized that Yusuke knew more about everything going on than he did, and I might not understand the full picture as much as Yusuke did.

"But...I agree with Daisuke, Yuki.", Yusuke said to me.

"Huh? On what?", I asked.

"If you continue to associate with us, your life could be in danger, and you may never live a normal life again.", he explained, "Even at your age...that's quite the commitment to make."

"I'm glad you agree with me, Tachibana.", Daisuke said, looking up to him, "I guess...I was wrong to think you were only concerned with yourself."

"The only person in this school besides myself whom I'm concerned with is Yuki.", Yusuke said, blatantly.

"W...w-", I mumbled.

" _Whaaat?!_ ", Daisuke finished for me. Yusuke acknowledged his strange phrasing, then corrected himself.

"The reason why she is the only one I'm concerned about is that she's the only person who got involved with my personal matters. Therefore, I am responsible for her.", he clarified, "It has nothing to do with how I view her personally."

"Oh...right...", Daisuke said, beginning to laugh, "O-of course you wouldn't have a crush on Yuki! Ahaha! What was I thinking?"

"Anyway, you need to make your decision, Yuki.", Yusuke said, refocusing the conversation, "Things may have been fun for you up until this point, but the fact is that if you continue to participate in the Rebellion, you could very well lose everything you have, including your life."

I thought about it deeply. I was...conflicted, I guess. Being apart of this whole Rebellion thing and playing Duel Monsters was so much fun and it was thrilling, but that was because nothing bad had happened yet. I was just getting to enjoy myself, not experiencing any of the repercussions that most of the people in the Rebellion have probably suffered. A lot of them...probably haven't seen their family in years, if they're even alive. Was I okay with that? Was I satisfied with losing everything I had up here on the surface, just to experience fun and excitement?

"I...don't know.", I replied. Daisuke sighed deeply, still worried about my wellbeing. I could understand where he was coming from. That was exactly why I was hesitant. I didn't want to lose my Mom, but I also didn't want to lose Daisuke. I didn't want them to lose me, either.

"I have an idea.", Yusuke said, after thinking for a short time.

"Yeah?", Daisuke asked.

"You'll spend this weekend underground.", he said to me, "'A day in the life', so to speak. While you're there, I'll have you spend Sunday with my most trusted followers. Ask them what their life is like now, and what their life was like before. What they regret, what they don't. The reason they chose what they chose, and why they keep fighting. Every one of them has a story. I believe once you hear it from people who have been in your place, you'll find your answer."

I looked to Daisuke for approval, or maybe affirmation, but he just shrugged.

"It's a choice you need to make yourself, Yuki.", he told me, "I don't want to lose my best friend, and I don't want you to get hurt because you lost everything, either. But...if it makes you happier than you are now, then I won't argue." Hearing his reply, I felt a little more confident in my answer.

"...Alright. I'll do that.", I agreed, "Today is Thursday, right?"

"Yes. I want you to spend the rest of your time up here on the surface, enjoying all the luxuries you still have and spending time with the people you care about. When you're forced to be without them, I'm sure everything will be a lot more meaningful.", Yusuke told me.

"Right...", I agreed. When I said that, the air around us felt heavy. The mood was really grim, but, like always, Daisuke was there to cheer me up.

"Anyway, enough sad stuff!", he barked, confidently smiling, "You promised we'd go to the arcade today, remember? I won't let you go back on it!" As always, that brought me that one spark of light that I needed to move forward.

"Right... You're right. Let's go have fun.", I agreed.

"Here.", Yusuke said, handing me a card. When I glanced at the name, I saw that it was Fury-Eyes Prime Miracle Dragon.

"We had a draw, so I won't give you Stardust. But, you can have this one. It'll keep you safe.", he told me. I took it from him, bowing my head slightly.

"Thank you. I'll take good care of it.", I assured him, "Are you going to spend your time at your home as well?" He didn't answer me at first, simply walking down the hall towards the underground route.

He mumbled something, trying to be quiet enough so I didn't hear it, but I did.

"There's no home to go back to.", he said. I guess he didn't want to hear it so I didn't feel more sad than I already was.

"It's strange...", Iroha said as we watched him walk away.

"What is?", I asked her.

"What is what?", Daisuke asked.

"Oh, I'm talking to Iroha.", I told him.

"Right...Iroha.", he said, sighing.

"It's just...that boy, the one you call Tachibana? He looks just like my previous master. Like he hasn't changed at all in all these years.", she explained.

"That Giorno person?", I asked.

"Yes.", she agreed, "Even the way he speaks...he's exactly like Giorno."

"That's a pretty crazy coincidence, then.", I replied.

"Somehow...I don't believe that it's a coincidence.", Iroha responded.

"Well, if what Tachibana-kun says is true, then the world you remember was over a hundred years ago. Humans can't possibly live that long.", I insisted.

"...Perhaps you're right.", she said, trying to give up on the idea, "Perhaps the resemblance is just very strong." Even though she tried to play it off, it was still clear that she was convinced they were the same person. I guess she was trying to move past it, since she wasn't going to find an answer. Yusuke did tell her she was mistaken, after all.

Anyway, for the rest of the week, I did my best to enjoy myself. I hung out with Daisuke more than usual, spent time with my Mom, and did everything I could on the surface. I enjoyed all the luxuries I had, just like Yusuke said. Soon enough, though, Saturday came. I told my Mom on Saturday that I'd be spending the night at a friend's house to cover up where I was really going. She agreed to it, so I was free to go.

"Are you ready?", Yusuke asked me as class ended.

"Yeah. I'm ready.", I agreed.

"Did you enjoy yourself while you could?", he asked further.

"Yes. I did.", I told him.

"Then let's go.", he said, walking out of the classroom. Everyone who was still in the classroom was staring in shock. Yusuke was not only talking to someone, but he was walking out of the class with someone. I could already feel the anger and jealousy of the other girls. People already thought something was up back when he pulled me out of the classroom, despite the fact that I told them nothing was going on. Now, I guess they were convinced. We weren't dating or anything, but we _were_ technically up to something. Daisuke stayed behind in the classroom, so I just waved to him. I didn't want to make it any harder, for either of us. I wasn't going to be there forever, but I know he was worried about me.

After we got to that stairway, Yusuke opened up the hatch to the tunnel after making sure no one was around. After we both climbed down, we started walking to the security room. At that moment, Iroha appeared again, floating along with us.

"I never asked this before, but what is this tunnel doing down here?", I asked him.

"It was built when the Japanese were trying to stop the Domino invasion. They built this as an escape route. This school has always been here, so it used to lead out to the bottom of the hill, but there was an Earthquake years later which collapsed the tunnel. We made use of it though, since we found out we can get to the old city from here.", he explained. Once we got a short distance down the hall, he stopped and bent down, moving a large stone aside and taking a large metal case out from behind the wall. It looked like something you'd carry a gun in.

"What's that?", I asked.

"My uniform.", he said, opening it to reveal his helmet and armor.

"You always keep it here?"

"Yes."

"So...Security knows about this place, then?"

"Yes.", Yusuke said, pulling out that helmet, "They just don't know where we go from here. They've searched, but they obviously aren't very smart." He set the helmet aside, then began taking his shirt off. I wasn't really trying to stare, but when I saw his large muscles and toned body, it was kind of hard not to. I didn't know if he worked out a lot or what...but...man...

"Oh my...", Iroha muttered, impressed.

"Do you mind?", he asked, noticing our gawking.

"O-oh uh...sorry!", I said, turning my head and blushing in shame.

"Hehehe.", Iroha giggled, also looking away.

After another minute or two, he had finished. I looked back over to see he was in his full combat attire now. He placed the stone back in place, then brought the large case with us as we began making our way down the tunnel again.

"Um...Tachibana?", Iroha called.

"What?"

"I know you've said that I've mistaken you for someone else, but are you related to someone named Giorno?", she asked him.

"Possibly. I'm half Italian, after all.", he told her, "If it was one of my ancestors that you remember, it would definitely make sense."

"I see...", she mumbled, thinking. A few minutes later, we arrived at the security room. Latch let us in, and he warmly greeted us.

"Okaeri.", he said with a smile.

"What does that mean?", I asked him.

"It means 'Welcome home'.", he told me, "And then you say 'Tadaima', which means 'I'm home'."

"Ta..dai..ma?", I sounded it out.

"Yep! Just like that!", he agreed.

"Tadaima. Tadaima!", I repeated, happily.

"There you go! Okaeri, Yuki!", he egged me on, enthusiastically.

"Tadaima, Latch!", I replied, with matching energy.

"Latch.", Yusuke said, getting his attention.

"Aye?", he asked, looking over to him.

"When Yuki spends time with you tomorrow, I want you to teach her about her heritage.", he ordered him, "I'm sure she'd like to learn about it."

"Aye aye. It'd be my pleasure.", Latch agreed.

"Let's go, Yuki. You're going to be staying with Shirley tonight, since you seem to get along so well.", Yusuke told me, walking towards the elevator.

"Right!", I agreed, following him, "Seeya tomorrow, Latch!"

"Mata ashita!", he called back, "That means 'See you tomorrow'!"

I was having a lot of fun already. It was so great learning about my heritage and everything, and learning this old language was great, too.

As Yusuke and I descended, I remembered something I wanted to ask him.

"Hey, you said that Rebellion Summoning was invented by your supplier, right?", I asked.

"Yes.", he confirmed.

"So, they are able to change the rules of the game?", I continued.

"Yes."

"What other rules have they changed since the game was originally discontinued?", I asked.

"A few things. For instance, if a monster's Summon was negated in the old rules, no matter where it was sent, be it the Graveyard or the Hand, it was never considered on the field or Summoned. Now, due to some effects of Rebellion Summoning and its monsters, that was changed. Currently, they are considered Summoned, but the Summon is then immediately undone, be it returned to the hand, Extra Deck, or sent to the Graveyard. That means if they're destroyed, they can be Special Summoned through card effects.", he explained.

"I see...anything else?", I asked.

"Well...when an Xyz Material monster was detached previously, it wasn't considered leaving the field, since Xyz Materials weren't technically on the field. Now, although they are Xyz Materials, they leave the field as soon as they are detached. That means that now, monsters like 'Sangan' who would add a monster to your hand if he was sent from the field to the Graveyard will trigger their effects if detached.", he continued.

"Doesn't that cause problems with older cards?", I asked.

"Possibly. Though, the cards they supply us with usually aren't able to exploit those changes.", he told me.

"I see...", I mumbled. We talked a bit more about the various changes to the game mechanics, like how Synchro Materials are considered Tributes and other things like that. From what he told me, it seems that all these changes are to accommodate new cards and Rebellion Monsters. He also says a lot of old cards were banned from play because of how they could abuse these changes. It seems that when you try to use a banned card, the Duel Disk rejects it.

After we walked and talked for a while, we arrived at a small house. The lights were on inside, so Yusuke knocked. When the door opened, it was Shirley. She gasped with excitement.

"Yukiiii!", she squealed, leaping forward and embracing me.

"Ahaha, Hi Shirley!", I laughed, embracing her back.

"We are gonna have _so_ much fun tonight!", she told me.

"You two enjoy yourselves. Shirley, you know where to send her tomorrow, right?", Yusuke said to her.

"O-oh, yes! Of course!", she replied, snapping to attention, but still hugging me.

"Good. Take care of her.", he finished, walking away.

"Yes, sir!", she accepted, hugging me tighter. She looked at me with great big smile, like doting older sister. It made me feel really safe and happy. I never had any siblings, so I imagine Shirley is what a great older sister would be like.


	9. The Survivor - A Look On The Inside

"Giorno! Non lasciarmi!", I shouted. But, he ignored me.

"Io non voglio morire!", I cried out. Still, he didn't come to my aid.

"Ripiegare!", he called to our allies repeatedly, as everyone else fled.

Smoke filled the room, I was crushed by the burning debris, and no one came to save me. My comrades all fled, and Giorno ordered their retreat. Though I pleaded for him to save me, he left me to die. I was all alone. I didn't want to die, but as the suffering continued, I wished it would all stop. Eventually, my mind numbed. I lost all emotion, and my vision grew dark. Despite the flames surrounding me, I began to feel cold. I knew what was happening, so I simply accepted it, and waited to be embraced by death. I was...alright with it.

"She's coming to.", I heard a faint voice proclaim.

"Her vital signs are still stable.", another replied. As my eyes opened, I saw a bright light above me, and many doctors around me.

"Dove...sono?", I asked.

"Another language?", one doctor asked, turning to another.

"Not one that I know.", he responded.

"Where...am I?", I asked, correcting myself.

"You speak our language?", they asked.

"You are...American? Our ally?", I asked back.

"American...?", he repeated, puzzled.

"That's a country that used to exist.", a softer voice announced, entering the room, "She may not look like it, but she's really hundreds of years old." I weakly turned my head to see a beautiful woman with long silver hair walking up beside me. Her eyes were a golden color, and she looked at me with a warm smile, saying,

"I'm sure you're very confused. Rest, and I'll explain everything to you when you're well."

It was the first drop of human compassion I've felt since I was abandoned by my comrades. Such a sweet feeling involuntarily brought tears to my eyes. When she saw my reaction, she stroked my head gently, replying,

"It'll be alright. We're going to take good care of you here."

Those words only served to make my tears flow even more. How I had missed the feeling of human sympathy. I longed for someone to care for me again. It was enough that I fell back asleep, not having the energy to cry anymore. I finally...had someone to care for me again. I assume I slept for a very long time. I didn't have any dreams, but I did think about things. These people didn't know what America was. She said that it used to be a country...which means that the Americans lost their struggle. Then...what happened to Italia? Did we also lose our struggle? If so...why am I alive? She said I was hundreds of years old. How was I still alive?

When I opened my eyes again, I was in a different room. It seemed to be a hospital room. It had soft blue walls and a multicolored carpet. There was a television up above, hooked onto the wall. I wasn't attached to any machines this time, and I was in a small, yet comfortable bed. I looked around the room, examining my surroundings, and as I did, that woman entered the room again.

"How are you feeling?", she asked me, coming to my side.

"...I'm...alright.", I told her, looking over at her, "Please, tell me. Where am I?"

"You're in the James Ankins Memorial Hospital in Eastern Domino.", she told me. At that revelation, I quickly got out of bed and backed up against the wall.

"You're...our enemy?!" She frowned a bit, then smiled, saying,

"Well...we _were_ your enemy. The war is over now."

"It...it is?", I asked, "So, we won?"

"Not exactly.", she explained, "The Rebellion Commander was killed, and without their leader, the rest of the rebels surrendered."

"...Were they executed?", I asked, fearing the worst.

"No, of course not.", she told me, "They were punished, of course, but once they served their sentence, they were let free to live their lives again."

"...and what of Italia?"

"It's peaceful now, and much of it has been rebuilt. The people there are now Domino citizens, and they live under our protection."

I didn't know how to respond. Domino was our enemy. We fought desperately against them, trying to stop their advance into our homeland. But...she is saying that they brought peace to it.

"Here. Take a look.", the woman said, setting a data pad on my bed. I was hesitant, but after a few seconds of deliberation, I picked up the device and looked at it. When I did, I saw pictures of...my homeland. Italia. It was beautiful...peaceful...it was rebuilt to its former glory.

"The Dominion is not bad.", the woman said, "True, we annex other countries, but in our dominion, everyone is given shelter and protection, and nobody goes hungry. We have free healthcare for everyone, and everyone is treated equally. Even your comrades were given homes and food after they were released."

"Then...what were we fighting for...?", I mumbled, feeling lost and confused.

"We aren't exactly sure.", she replied, "That was why we were trying to reach a peaceful conclusion. We didn't want any more senseless destruction because of our conflict. Most people don't really think about it, but every soldier on either side has a life. They have families...people who love them. Every soldier that dies brings sadness to someone innocent in the world. We were trying to avoid that."

I set the data pad down, thinking deeply about what had happened. We were fighting to be free...weren't we? But...she is saying every Domino citizen is free. What she's telling me...is that we were fighting for nothing. We were fighting to be free, as well as keep Duel Monsters alive...but...we failed. What was I doing here, then? If we failed...I have no reason to be here. My comrades...they're gone. I'm the last one left.

"Why...am I still alive?", I asked her, feeling that my existence was unnecessary in this world.

"Well, you have an ability that we call 'Immortality'.", she answered, "Because of it, you are able to die temporarily, but your body regenerates. You also never age."

"I'm...immortal?", I replied, laughing slightly. I wanted to die so desperately back then...and now I cannot die. How ironically cruel.

"But, the world is at peace now?", I asked.

"Well...mostly.", she told me, "There is another rebel faction that has risen up. They're called the 'Duelist Rebellion'. They seek to do what your faction tried all those years ago. What they don't understand is that the world is finally at peace. They're only bringing chaos."

"I see...", I replied, quietly. So, another force is trying to face the Dominion. It seems that they haven't learned from our mistakes. The Dominion cannot be defeated. After a brief silence, the woman began speaking to me again.

"We would like to give you an offer.", she informed me.

"...an offer...", I repeated, feeling numb again.

"...We believe that people who are given at second chance at life...are meant to do something great. That's why they were given the gift of life once more.", she said, "You have been given the gift of eternal life. I believe that you can use that power for the good of mankind. You can bring peace to the world, just like you tried to all those years ago. This time, though, you'll be fighting for the right side. The side that wants to stop all the senseless destruction." After that, she set a Duel Disk on the table next to my bed, along with a deck next to it.

"The rebels who fight us use these. Although we use our best weaponry against them, there's only so much we can do. As far as firepower goes, we're just barely equal. That's why we need a great Duelist to fight them on equal grounds.", she continued, "We thought that perhaps you would like to try."

"...What reason do I have to keep going? My comrades...my family...Giorno...they're all gone. I have nothing to fight for anymore.", I said, drearily.

"That's why we're offering this to you. To give you something to live for. So you can be a vessel of peace and justice to the world.", she urged me.

I glanced over at the Duel Disk and deck on the side table, remembering my past...everything that happened. I never wanted to go through that again. But...I didn't want anyone else to have to go through that, either. If I took this opportunity...I could bring peace to people. I could make sure that no one would have to suffer as I did.

I climbed over my bed and picked up the deck, looking through the cards. These were cards I had never seen before, but I understood what they did. Back then...Giorno and I were the only equals among duelists. He had won against as many times as I had against him. I'm sure that I would be a match for any Duelist out here. But...Giorno...

Giorno...why? Why did you leave me to die?

...I loved you.

I thought you loved me. But...you left me to die all alone.

"You mentioned someone named Giorno...", the woman replied, breaking the silence, "Was that person close to you?"

I paused, contemplating my response.

"He...betrayed me.", I told her, "He left me to die while he and our comrades retreated."

"It sounds like you two were close before that.", she commented.

"I suppose we were...", I responded, sorrowfully. We were more than close. We were in love. She let me think for a while longer, then said,

"I'll give you some time to think. For now, just rest. You won't be able to go out in your condition anyway, and I'd like to show you how the world has changed since you were last alive. It may be a bit of a shock, so I'd like you to be rested for it."

"...Okay.", I agreed. I set the deck back down on the table, then climbed back into my bed as the woman left the room. I was remembering too many painful things. I just wanted to go to sleep so I could stop thinking about them. I wanted to think about anything other than the pain I suffered those years ago. I didn't want to think about Giorno anymore. I didn't know how to feel about him. I loved him...I loved him more than anything. But, he betrayed me. I hated him for that, but I still loved him at the same time. She said that...he was dead now. He was killed by the Dominion.

For some reason, I didn't believe that.

As I thought about these things, my eyes began to fill with tears again, and I slowly drifted to sleep.

* * *

ACCESSING MEMORY . . .

READY? . . . OKAY!

TRANSLATION PROGRAM ACTIVATING . . .

* * *

"Giorno! Watch this!", I called, waving to him from high above.

"Be careful, Viviana!", he called back, wading in the river.

"I'll be fine!", I assured him, getting ready, then leaping from the rock wall. I made a huge splash, going into the water, then shortly resurfacing.

"Did you see that?", I asked.

"Yeah, I saw.", he said, laughing, "You really like jumping from high places, don't you?"

"Only when there's water beneath!", I laughed back. He smiled at me, then swam back to the shore. He got out of the water, then sat down on the blanket we laid out on the rocks, grabbing the picnic basket we prepared next to him.

"Come on, let's eat!", he said.

"Coming!", I replied, swimming over to him.

Every day was like this for us. We would wake up, go to school, then play for the rest of the day. We really liked to go swimming in the river that went through the canyon. Every day...so peaceful. So beautiful.

"Do you think things will always be like this?", I asked him.

"Well, nothing can stay the same forever.", he told me, "Everything changes eventually."

"That makes me sad...", I mumbled.

"Just because it changes doesn't mean it ends.", he added.

"What do you mean?", I asked him.

"Maybe we won't always swim in the river like this. Maybe we'll get tired of swimming and go hiking instead.", he explained, "Just because things change, doesn't mean they change for the worse. But, everything changes eventually."

"What about our friendship?", I asked him.

"That'll change too, someday.", he told me, "But, we'll probably just become even closer than we are now."

"Really?", I asked, hopefully.

"Yeah. Really.", he assured me.

"That makes me happy!", I told him, smiling brightly.

"Me too!", he agreed.

So, for all the years to come, I hoped that we would become closer, just like he said. As we came to find out, he was right. Years afterward, we slowly began to fall in love. It was subtle at first, but grew more passionate as time went on. Spending everyday together made it easier to express ourselves. It wasn't long until we were both aware of it. We first told each other while we were playing a friendly game of Duel Monsters.

"I Summon Red-Eyes Wyvern!", he called out.

"I activate Bottomless Trap Hole!", I replied, banishing his monster.

"Man...you never give me a break, do you?", he asked me.

"I gotta keep you in top form, don't I?", I asked him back. He laughed, saying,

"Yeah, I guess you do. That's what I love about you." I was shocked a bit, at first. I think he was too. He didn't take it back or change what he said, he just kind of looked to the side, hoping for a good response. But...I was happy.

"You always take care of me. That's what I love about you.", I replied, after some thought.

"You...you do, huh?", he asked.

"Mhm. I do.", I agreed. So, we both laughed it off, trying not to feel too awkward. But, it was after that that we became inseparable. Once we got out of school, we made a promise to each other. We promised that once we were on our own, we would live together. We would leave everything behind, and just be together. We would have children, get married...spend the rest of our lives together.

But, then...the Dominion came. They came to take over our homeland. To turn it into a new territory of Domino. Obviously, we weren't about to just give it up. It wasn't long until a resistance formed up, using the very Duel Monsters they were trying to rid the world of. When we learned of what the Dominion was doing, we couldn't stand idly by. We got our decks and Duel Disks and joined the Resistance. We fought to keep Italia our own. We didn't want to give it to anyone.

Battle after battle, we fought. For a while, it seemed like we could really win. But, our numbers dwindled. We lost more and more battles, and eventually Giorno was put in charge of the final platoon.

* * *

When I opened my eyes, I saw I was still in that room. Looking beside me, I saw the Duel Disk and deck still sitting there. After I had that dream...I knew what I wanted to do. I remembered what I was fighting for. For peace...for a world where everyone can smile. That's what we were trying to do, wasn't it? And now...now I was given another chance to make that dream come true. So, after waking up a bit more, I got out of bed and took the Duel Disk and deck.

"I see you've made your choice.", the woman said to me, walking into the room.

"Yes. I have.", I agreed, "I will fight for you. So no one has to suffer anymore."

"I'm glad you agree. We've had enough bloodshed to last an eternity.", she replied, "Now, come with me. I want to show you our city."

"Alright.", I agreed.


	10. A Day In The Life Gone Wrong

"This is the kind of food you eat?", I asked Shirley.

"Hm? Yeah. Is it not the kind of food you like?", she asked back.

"No, I love this kind of food. I just...I wasn't expecting you guys to eat food like this. It's so normal. I thought you would be living off of something...less normal, I guess. Living underground and all", I told her.

"Yeah, well, life down here isn't too much different from life on the surface. Everyone regularly visits the surface, so that's where we get our food. If we stayed down here for too long, our eyes wouldn't be able to handle the sunlight, you know?", she reasoned.

"Yeah, that's true.", I agreed.

"We have electricity, and most of these buildings are intact, so we don't live in little shacks.", she continued, "Life down here isn't as luxurious as the surface, but it's certainly not bad. I really like it down here!"

"Yeah...I don't think it's bad either.", I replied, thinking seriously about it.

"You know, I was wondering where you got your deck.", she told me, "I've never seen your cards before."

"Actually, Kaiba gave them to me.", I told her.

"Really? ...huh.", she said, trailing off, "You're really close, huh?"

"Not in that way.", I told her, "He just recruited me. I didn't have a deck so he gave this one to me. He said it was prototype or something."

"Okay...", she mumbled, looking down at her food.

"I'm rooting for you, Shirley.", I told her.

"Hm? What do you mean?", she asked.

"I think you and Kaiba would make a great couple!", I told her.

"Y-you really think so?", she asked, flustered.

"Mhm! Definitely.", I replied, "Kaiba is a little too distant for my tastes, anyway."

"So, you don't think you'd ever like him?"

"Well...", I trailed off. It wasn't that I _hated_ him or anything. He could be really sweet sometimes, and he was super attractive. He was really smart and athletic too. I guess...no. No, I gotta support Shirley.

"I don't think I'd ever fall for him like you did. He's nice, but not my type.", I told her, "So, I'm gonna support you."

"Really?! Oh, you're the best, Yuki-chan!", she exclaimed, reached across the table and holding my hand, "You're like the little sister I never had!"

"Funny you should say that!", I commented, "You're like the big sister _I_ never had!"

"Well then, we'll have to look out for each other, okay?", she said, with a big adorable smile.

"You bet!", I agreed, smiling back. So, we ate dinner together and talked about a bunch of stuff. The more she talked about Yusuke, the more I realized just how much he meant to her. I knew she was in love with him, but she sounds like she worships him, almost.

"Hey, Shirley.", I spoke up.

"Hm? What?", she asked.

"Why, exactly, do you like him so much? What did he do to earn so much love from you?", I asked her. With that, she looked down with a dejected look on her face, then smiled sadly. She thought about it for a while, almost as if she was debating whether to tell me or not.

"It's because...he saved me.", she told me, quietly.

"He saved you?", I asked her, wanting to know more.

"Honestly, I've known Kaiba for a little longer than the Rebellion has existed. I followed him here to Japan.", she told me, "Originally, I'm from America. That was a country across the Pacific Ocean. It was the last country that the Dominion conquered, and it was their biggest challenge. They took over three years ago, and my family was part of the resistance."

"Really...?", I mumbled, knowing where this was going.

"Mhm...my mother and father died fighting against the Dominion, and when they did, I was lost. I felt like...I didn't have a reason to keep going. I didn't want to live in this Dominion that my family fought so hard to keep away. I didn't want to live without my mom and dad, either. I just...you know.", she said, "But then, Kaiba showed up. He found me in my darkest hour, and he offered me another chance at life. 'Come fight with me', he said. And so...he was my new reason for living. Kaiba and everyone in this rebellion...they're all I have. They're my new family. And so I fight to keep them all alive. So I don't lose another family."

That was so heartbreaking to hear. I just reached forward and hugged her tightly.

"Can I be your family, too?", I asked her.

"What are you talking about?", she asked, regaining her happy tone, "You're already my wonderful little sister, remember?"

"Yeah...and you're my adorable big sister.", I agreed, holding back tears. She hugged me back tightly, and with each passing second, I understood this whole Rebellion thing more and more. I knew why Shirley fought now, and that alone gave me a reason to join them. But, I still had more to see.

I spent the night with Shirley, sleeping in the same bed. I thought that spending the night there would be difficult, since I was away from my Mom and in a foreign place. But Shirley held me all night, and her warm embrace washed away all the fear and discomfort I had. Shirley...no matter what, I wanted her to be happy. I wanted to protect her and be her family. I wanted to always be there for her, so she wouldn't lose anyone ever again.

So, when I awoke the next morning, Shirley wasn't in bed anymore. I got up slowly, looking around her bedroom, but I didn't see her in there. So, I got up out of bed and walked back into the hallway. When I did, I began to smell a delicious breakfast. Figures she'd be making breakfast for us. Shirley is just that kind of person.

"Smells good!", I said, walking into the kitchen.

"Thanks!", I heard a male voice call out. When I looked to my right, I saw Shirley sitting at the table. She waved at me happily.

"Good morning!", she said.

"Good...morning.", I replied, looking into the kitchen to see who was making breakfast.

"Latch?!", I exclaimed, shocked by seeing him in the kitchen.

"Yeah! I'm supposed to take you under my wing for today, but I was bored waiting around. So, I thought I'd meet you here!", he announced.

"Latch is really good cook! He's even better than me!", Shirley told me.

"Wow, really?", I asked, intrigued.

"You bet! I was the Rebellion chef, back before we settled down here, when we were just in small camps. Now everybody cooks for themselves for the most part, though some people still come to me sometimes, haha!.", he confirmed. So, I took a seat in front of Shirley and let him do his thing. It took him longer than Shirley, but I guess that's the price for great food. I was really excited to taste his amazing cooking.

After he was done, he set it down in front of us and let us taste it. All it took was one bite, and I was entranced.

"This is amazing!", I shouted.

"Well, he was head chef for a reason!", Shirley complimented.

"Oh, come on! You're making me blush!", Latch replied, laughing. The three of us ate together, laughed, talked, and I even watched Latch and Shirley have a duel before we headed out.

"Now you'll get to see my Pendulum Summoning, Yuki!", Shirley exclaimed, ready to set the scale.

"And I'll show you how to stop Pendulum Summoning! Eizoku Torappu Hatsudo!", Latch called out, activating a Continuous Trap Card.

"'Anti-Spell Fragrance'! Spells can't be activated from the hand anymore! You gotta set them, and they can't be activated until your next turn. That means you can't set the Pendulum scale, since they're considered the same as activating a spell from the hand."

" _Whaaaat?!_ ", Shirley cried, "No way!"

"Wow...I never even considered that!", I admitted, amazed.

"Honestly, it's one of the few ways to really prevent Pendulum Summoning. Haha.", he laughed, feeling a bit embarrassed.

It was nice. The atmosphere and everything I mean. Two kind, pleasant people, enjoying a morning with me. Treating me like their family, and showing me the compassion and love of a sibling, or maybe a mother and father. At that moment, I totally forgot I was talking with two rebels. I forgot about the whole rebellion. I felt like I was having dinner with my own family. I guess this is how everyone else felt as well. I was beginning to feel that...maybe this rebellion thing wasn't so bad. Maybe this was something I could risk my life for.

As I was enjoying the company around me, we suddenly felt a large tremor. It startled us all, and we began panicking for a moment. After it all stopped, we quickly rushed outside to see what was happening. There were dozens of rebels running towards the dueling grounds, and even more flying on their monsters. Latch stopped one of them as he ran by to figure out what the rush was about.

"What's going on?!", he asked him.

"Kaiba's fighting the Thorns, the Dragons, and the Firestorms! All by himself!", the guy exclaimed.

"All by himself?!", Shirley shouted, shocked.

"Yeah, but they aren't dueling! They're fighting! With their monsters!", he told us.

"Oh no...", Latch murmured.

"We've got to go help him!", Shirley shouted, desperate and panicked.

"Yeah, let's go!", Latch agreed, "Yuki, you coming?"

"W-what...well...", I stuttered.

"Well, stay or go, it's your choice. Let's go Shirley!", Latch commanded.

"Right!", she agreed. They both activated their Duel Disks, then began preparation.

"First, I'll send these two to the grave...then banish them...Dark Simorgh!", Latch called out. With that, a giant, monstrous, black bird appeared in front of us. Latch jumped up on it's back, then patted it on the head, causing it to fly off into the sky and off towards the commotion in the dueling grounds.

"Set the scale...Pendulum Summon...Xyz Summon...", Shirley mumbled, playing all these cards at an insane speed.

"Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon!", she called. And so, a giant, black dragon with sharp blades appeared. It roared mightily, allowing her to climb onto its back and ready to charge into battle.

"Come on, Dark Rebellion! Take me to Kaiba!", she ordered it. So, it obeyed, roaring and flying off into the sky after them. I was so dumbstruck by all this commotion that I didn't really know how to react. Yusuke was fighting three entire gangs...alone? Why? What was going on? I had no idea what was happening, but I didn't want to abandon Shirley, or Yusuke, or Latch. So, activated my Duel Disk, drew five cards, then did the same combo I used last time. Summon Iroha, bring out Shinichiro, then Synchro into Miracle Prime Dragon.

"Prime Dragon...can you...take me to Yusuke? Where he's fighting?", I asked him. Almost as if he could read my emotions, he didn't roar triumphantly. He simply lowered his head at me, allowing me to get on, but also as if he were telling me that it was my choice to go or not, and he didn't want to pressure me. I placed my hand on his feathery head, stroking it gently while deciding what I wanted to do. But, it only took a minute or two before I knew. I knew what I came here for, and I knew what I wanted to do now.

I wanted to be a part of this Rebellion. I wanted to protect Yusuke, and Shirley, and Latch. I wanted to create a world where Duel Monsters can bring smiles to everyone again. A world where everyone is unique. And so, I climbed onto Miracle Prime Dragon, then tapped him gently, letting him know I was ready. He flapped his wings, got into the air, then flew off towards the Dueling Grounds.

As we were heading there, we could see blasts of energy flying left and right around that area. It really was a real battle. From the amount of stuff going on, it seemed that the entire Rebellion was here fighting those three other gangs.

"Keep us on the outside of the stadium, Prime Dragon.", I told him, trying to avoid the main conflict. He growled to me in confirmation. As we flew around the area, staying out of the main battle, we saw four huge dragons up in the sky, and one top of them were Yusuke and three other men I didn't recognize. They must have been the gang bosses, since they were all attacking Yusuke and had incredibly powerful monsters. Yusuke was flying atop a giant golden dragon with red eyes and spikes on its back that had 5000 Attack, and the other three were flying on giant, three headed robotic dragons, each with 4000 Attack. They were all blasting Yusuke, and Yusuke was trying to hit them back while avoiding their blasts. On the ground were the other Rebellion members and gang members fighting amongst each other. It was a blood bath. People were being obliterated left and right. Most of the people who were being taken out were from rival gangs...but...this wasn't bringing smiles to everyone. I understood now...I understood why the Dominion feared Duel Monsters so much. But...Yusuke was right. It's only destructive in the wrong hands.

Yusuke managed to destroy two of the three dragons, presumably killing the men on top of them. But, as he was attemping to destroy the last one, he was hit dead on with a blast from the enemy. It knocked him clear off of his dragon and flying through the air, crashing into a building somewhere behind the stadium.

"Yusuke!", I shouted in horror.

"Kaiba!", Shirley shouted as well, seeing him crashing into the structure. So, we both flew full speed towards the direction where we thought he landed. We didn't really know since we didn't see exactly where he hit, but we did our best to search in the general area. Looking back, I saw Latch lead the offensive against the remaining enemies at the stadium while we were going to find Yusuke.

Yusuke got hit dead on by that blast. I didn't want to believe it, but in the back on my mind, I knew it was possible he didn't survive. As I looked around in the buildings, I finally came across a large hole that was still dusty, and looking through it, I could see Yusuke lying against the back wall.

"Yusuke!", I exclaimed, jumping off of my dragon into the building and running to his side.

There was a large hole in his chest from being blasted, and blood all around the wall and ground. He wasn't moving at all, and judging by his injuries, I was sure he was dead. But...I didn't want to admit it.

"Yusuke! Yusuke!", I begged him, tears coming to my eyes, "Say something!"

It was strange, how I was feeling. I didn't know I would be in so much pain when I lost him. But, as if a prayer from my heart was being answered, something began happening. The blood all around Yusuke began moving, and slowly starting pulling towards him. I had no idea what was happening, so I slowly scooted backwards. More and more, his body began regenerating, until there was no hole or blood anymore. He was...fine...

"Ugh...", he moaned, "Urusai na...omae wa..."

"Yus...uke?", I mumbled, in disbelief.

"Yeah...I'm fine.", he told me, beginning to stand up.

"How...are you fine...? You got...", I continued.

"I'm fine.", he asserted, "That's all you need to know." Once I began to calm down, I realized he was withholding information from me again. He began to walk towards the opening in the building, but I stopped him by grabbing his arm.

"So, it's none of my business, is that it?", I asked him while wiping my tears, angry at his selfishness, "You can rely on other people sometimes, you know? Especially me. I'm the only one who knows who you really are, anyway. Don't you trust me?"

"It's not that I don't trust you.", he told me, taking on a quieter tone, "Telling you would only confuse you. It's better if you don't know."

"Like I said-"

"Kaiba!", Shirley shouted, finally finding us, "You're alright?! You're alive?!"

"Yes, Shirley. I'm fine.", he assured her.

"But you were-"

"That's what I wear body armor for. Just in case something like that happens.", he said, trying to cover his tracks.

"I see...you're safe...you're okay...", she repeated, trying to fight back tears. Eventually, she couldn't hold it in anymore and began balling, running up to him and embracing him.

"I thought you were gone forever! I didn't know what I was going to do!", she cried, loudly. He didn't seem sure how to react at first, but after a moment of taking it in, he wrapped his arms back around her, stroking her head gently.

"I'm sorry to have worried you.", he told her, sweetly.

For some reason, when he said that, I felt an ache in my chest again. It was almost like the pain of seeing him lying there, lifeless...but different. It still felt like I lost something...or something was being taken from me. By all means, it should have made me happy that he was being so sweet to Shirley. I'm rooting for her, after all. I am...aren't I?

As I thought about that, Yusuke's dragon appeared outside the building, beckoning him. Looking closer, both Shirley's Dark Rebellion and my Miracle Prime Dragon were waiting outside, too.

"We should get back to the fight.", Yusuke said, "I shouldn't leave my men fighting alone out there."

"R-right...", I agreed. Shirley just slowly let go of him, still a mess. Yusuke walked past her to the hole, jumping onto his dragon and flying off, while I walked over to Shirley to console her.

"I think you scored some major points there.", I told her, trying to cheer her up.

"...You think so?", she mumbled, her voice still quivering.

"Yeah. Definitely.", I agreed, feeling guilty at the same time.


	11. Mid-Chapter

"My, they're having a lot of fun down there!", he commented, snidely.

"Just how many mortals do you intend to toy with, Vulpes? You have already granted five of them eternal life. What more do you plan to do?", a voice from above called.

"Oh, don't be such a stiff.", Vulpes replied, "I just want to have a little fun, is all. Is that so wrong?"

The voice didn't reply.

"Besides, I've taken an interest in that girl they call Yuki.", Vulpes added.

"What are you planning?", the voice asked again, "Do you intend to grant her immortality as well?"

"No...but I _do_ think I want to give her _some_ kind of gift.", Vulpes responded, "Maybe I'll grant her an ability like I did to Giorno. He doesn't seem to use it as much as I'd like him to."

"...You are truly despicable, Vulpes.", the voice said.

"You give me too much credit!", Vulpes laughed, "Besides, if you Gods hadn't gone and tried and stop me, you wouldn't be sealed away here."

"We did not anticipate your drive for supremacy.", the voice told him.

"Well, whose fault is that?", Vulpes mocked, "Anyway, I've grown bored with the pawns I've set up. I think...I'd like a Queen now. Maybe a King, too. A few Knights and Rooks wouldn't hurt, either."


	12. A Gold Experience

ACCESSING MEMORY . . .

READY? . . . OKAY!

TRANSLATION PROGRAM ACTIVATING . . .

* * *

"Let's run away.", Viviana said to me, holding my hands, "Let's leave this war behind and run away together. Away from all this bloodshed and fighting."

"The Commander died and left me in charge. I can't just abandon everyone.", I tried to reason with her, "We've lost so many people...I don't want their deaths to be for nothing. I want to see our homeland survive and be free." She looked down at the ground with saddened eyes, realizing that I was right to act this way, but still upset that I couldn't make another choice.

"I don't want to die...and I don't want _you_ to die.", she said to me, "I'd rather lose our entire country than live on without you."

"I know.", I replied, "I feel the same way. That's why I want you to stay out of this war from now on. Since I'm in charge now, I'll discharge you, so you don't need to fight anymore. That way, when it's all over, I can come back to you. Then, we can live peacefully."

"You want me to stop fighting, and just let you fight alone?", she asked me, "You know I can't do that!"

"Viviana...the only thing that gives me the strength to keep fighting is knowing you're still alive. If something were to happen to you...", I trailed off.

"Commander, Sir.", a man called from behind us. I looked back to see a soldier waiting for me, holding a piece of paper.

"We need to go over our battle plans for tomorrow's assault, sir.", he explained. I was still talking to Viviana, and I didn't want to just abandon her right now. We had plans to meet later on tonight, but I wanted to cherish ever moment we had together. I looked back to Viviana for approval of my leave, and she slowly nodded.

"Go. I'll see you soon.", she assured me, smiling. So, I nodded at the soldier, then began following him.

Tomorrow, with me commanding the last platoon, we were to assault the enemy command center by way of an underground tunnel they were unaware of. It was our last resort. If we didn't pull this last mission off, we would lose the war. It was all or nothing. We had a mere 25 soldiers left. They were the best of the best, which is why they have survived this long. But as far as numbers went, it was 40 to 1 in the enemy's favor. We had to cut off the head of the serpent if we wanted to stand any chance. If we missed this opportunity...that would be the end of our rebellion.

Viviana...I didn't want her to be a part of this, but when we learned that our homeland was being invaded, neither of us could sit idly by. Though I begged her to let me handle it, she refused to let me fight alone. That's just the way she is. Above all, even if we failed and our home was taken over...even if I lost everything else...

"Commander?", the Soldier asked, noticing my distant gaze.

"Oh...Sorry...I was just...thinking.", I told him.

"About the Vice Commander?", he suggested, referring to Viviana.

"Yes...", I said, sighing, "Even if this all goes under and we have to surrender, I just want her to live on."

"Do you want to live on _with_ her?", he asked, his tone raising a bit.

"Of course.", I replied.

"Even if you two would be separated for the rest of your lives?", he continued.

"...Yes.", I said, beginning to feel a bit suspicious of his questions.

"Well then...", he trailed off, giggling. At that moment, I felt something grab hold of my legs, and a moment later, my arms were being held as well.

"Your wish is my command!", the Soldier said in a much higher pitch voice, turning around and revealing someone I didn't know.

"My...wish?!", I blurted, struggling.

"You and your beloved Viviana will be granted eternal life!", he told me, giddily, "But, you should always be careful what you wish for..." His body began shifting like shadows, and his armor reformed into a sleek black suit. He slicked his hair back, then formed a fedora from some shadows he manifested in his hand.

"I hope you don't regret what you've chosen...", he said in a mocking tone, walking up to me. He placed his finger on my forehead then pressed down, and I felt an enormous painful pulse shoot throughout my body. I couldn't help but yell out in pain. It was excruciating.

"And you know, since I'm such a good guy, I think I'll grant you a little power as well!", he boasted, "With this, you can command anyone to do your bidding!" Again, another pulse of pain shot through me. It was like nothing I'd ever felt before. The pain was so great that I couldn't even think. When it subsided, my vision was blurry and I had a strong ringing sound in my ears. Looking in front of me, I could see the man beginning to shift again. What the hell was he? Shape shifting? Sending painful pulses throughout my body? I was beginning to pass out, but before I lost consciousness completely, I saw him take the form of...me. He copied my appearance perfectly, down to the last detail.

"Now if'n you don't mind, I've got a rebellion to run into the ground!", he laughed, walking past me.

"...W-why...?", I mumbled, trying desperately to hold onto consciousness.

"No particular reason, I guess.", he boasted, "I just think it'll be amusing!"

Before I could ask any more, I passed out. I must have been unconscious for a long time, because when I awoke, I was lying in a large and luxurious bed. I slowly got up and looked around me, but nothing looked familiar at all. I was in some kind of mansion, from what it seemed. I looked over my body and saw that I wasn't harmed at all, and I was still wearing the clothes I had when I fainted. I wasn't wearing anything that could signify me as a rebel, so whoever picked me up could very well be from the Dominion, thinking I was an innocent bystander. Without me...the rebellion might have failed. Even worse, that person who could shapeshift might have taken on my form and ruined everything...

After evaluating my mental and physical state and deeming myself fit for action, I got out of the bed and swiftly made my way towards the door on the other side of the room. Moments before I reached it, it opened, and a beautiful young maid entered. Her eyes were dark and smaller than mine, and her hair was a jet black color. She appeared to be from somewhere in Asia. Japanese, maybe?

"I..I wasn't expecting you to be up so soon!", she exclaimed.

"...Where am I?", I asked, suspicious of my circumstances. Was I being observed or something? Maybe I was being held captive, and they just hadn't chained me up yet.

"You're in East Domino's Tachibana House. Lord Tachibana had you brought here.", she explained.

"Tachibana?", I asked, not knowing that name.

"He's the head of Tachibana Corp. Um...would you like to meet him? He saved your life, after all.", she suggested.

"Yes, I would.", I told her, wanting to meet my captor. So, she walked inside the room, set down some cleaning tools, then lead me further down the hall. We went around a few corners, then entered a large room at the end. In it was a large monitor on the very back wall, but other than that, it was a totally empty room. The maid didn't follow me further in, she simply waited for me to walk forward. Was this some kind of trap? I doubt they would throw me into a trap if they already had me captive. If they really did save me, I don't think they'd want to hurt me, but I couldn't be sure.

"Go ahead.", she told me, gesturing me to walk in further. I still wasn't sure if this was a trap or not, so I kept a slow pace. She slowly closed the door behind me, but I kept moving forward carefully.

"Step closer, Yusuke.", an electronic man's voice said.

"Yusuke...?", I mumbled, confused.

"That is your new name.", the voice replied, "Your new name will be Yusuke Tachibana. Do you understand?"

"Who are you? Show yourself.", I ordered.

"Very well.", he agreed. With that, the screen at the back of the room lit up, and a man sitting in a desk appeared on it.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Ryotaro Tachibana, CEO of Tachibana Corp. I design weapons for Domino's Security and Military. I'm the one who saved you.", he explained, with an obnoxiously proud tone.

"Saved me? From what?", I asked.

"From being experimented on for the rest of your life.", he told me.

"Explain.", I ordered.

"You're rather impudent in the face of your savior. Your audacity is admirable.", he commended me, "Very well, then. I'll explain." From there, the screen switched from a man in a desk to footage of a lab.

"Two-hundred years ago, you were captured by Domino forces after the fall of Italy. They found you unconscious near the Rebel base.", he told me, the video showing my limp body being brought inside the lab, "While examining your body where they found you, you were accidentally shot. Moments later, your body regenerated. Intrigued by this ability, the Dominion took you in for research. You were studied for around thirty years, but the Dominion learned nothing. So, I spent a large sum of money to have you brought here, instead."

"Two...hundred...?", I asked, confounded.

"Yes. You seem to be unable to age or die. Quite useful, if you ask me.", he said. That's when my interaction with the man in the suit came back to me. He told me he could make me live forever...and I guess he wasn't joking. But, what kind of person has the power to give people immortality like that? He might not have been person at all...rather some magical being. I've never experienced anything like that before, though. So, why now?

After thinking things over and regaining my bearings, I replied,

"Well, that doesn't matter right now. What do you want?"

"I want a weapon. There is no greater weapon than a human, and no greater human than you. You are incapable of death, and you remain in peak physical condition. You are the finest weapon I could purchase. No cost was too great.", he told me, "That is why I saved you and brought you here."

"Saved me? Just so I could be used as a weapon?", I spat, "Don't make me laugh. As if I'd ever be a dog to a Domino Scum."

"I wasn't expecting you to work for free.", he told me, "I happen to have some information that you might find...valuable."

"...What?", I asked, flatly.

"Your Vice Commander, Viviana. She was killed in the final battle.", he told me, like a lightning bolt piercing through me.

"She...was...killed...?", I stuttered, in disbelief. I thought...I thought that the man in the suit said he would make both of us live forever...but...it was only me. He only gave me immortality...is this some kind of sick joke? Forced to live forever without the girl who was my reason for living?

"Yes. She was killed. However, her killer is also still alive.", he told me, "And I can arrange for him to be brought to you so you can avenge her."

* * *

I awoke to find myself in the Command Center, lying on the cot in the back. Yesterday, we were assaulted by three gangs. I was able to handle the bigger problems myself, but all in all, we successfully fended off the attack with minimal losses. After I got blasted off my Truth Dragon, I crashed into some building in behind the Dueling Grounds. When I was revived, I saw Yuki by my side. Apparently she saw me regenerate. I still haven't explained anything to her. As I told her before, it would only make her more confused.

...I have to say, it's been quite awhile since I've had a dream about Viviana. But, that's not important right now.

As I was getting up, I heard a knock on the door. I took my helmet from beside the cot and put it on, calling out for the visitor to come in. When the door opened, I saw it was Latch.

"We've got an interesting situation on the eastern wasteland.", he told me.

"Interesting, you say...what is it?", I asked.

"There's someone claiming to be from the west, and he brought over a hundred people with him. They're carrying weapons, but they aren't hostile. Their leader just wants to talk to you.", he explained.

"They have Duel Disks as well?", I asked.

"No. They have guns, but they don't use energy rounds. That's what they said, anyway.", Latch continued.

"Very well. I'll go meet them.", I agreed, standing completely up and making my way out the door.

The eastern wasteland was an area of Tokyo called Setagaya back in the day. During the Dominion Annexation, it was razed to the ground as a demonstration of Domino's might. Now all that's left is rubble and dust. A wasteland. It's also one of the only ways to approach our settlement from the surface. It's difficult to set up a way to control that entrance, but we get by through defending our borders.

I summoned my Canvas Dragon once again, then climbed onto him and lifted off. Canvas Dragon was one of my faster flying monsters, so I always used him for transport if I could. He was faster than our jeeps, and could fly over buildings. He was an optimal travel method. It didn't take us long to reach it, and as we drew closer, I saw the large army that awaited us. There were hundreds of people. Two hundred, at least. There was one man standing ahead of them all, so I assumed he was their leader. I had Canvas Dragon put me down right in front of him, deciding to show him a taste of our might, just in case he wanted to try something.

"So, you must be the mysterious Kaiba I have heard so much about.", the man noted, "Ravis de te rencontrer. I am known as Descartes, leader of the Cartesian Alliance."

"Cartesian Alliance...I assume you're France's local resistance, then.", I surmised.

"En effet. Your knowledge of history is admirable.", he confirmed.

"So...what do you want?", I asked him, "If you've come looking for a fight, I suggest you look elsewhere."

"Yes, I've heard you are not one to toy with. You fight with magical beasts, or so the stories go. But, by the dragon you have behind you...I see they are not merely rumors.", he told me.

"Something like that.", I responded.

"Well, I can assure you; we come in peace.", he replied, "In fact, we've come to form an alliance."

"An alliance?", Latch asked, coming up behind me.

"Yes. With my two-hundred and forty seven followers, conventional weapons and years of experience, as well as your capable fighters and magical monsters, I doubt the Dominion will stand much of a chance.", he wagered. Thinking about it, I didn't really have much to lose. We needed more men, and since I wasn't losing my command or anything...

"Hmm...very well. I accept this alliance.", I told him, "However, our command structures will not combine. We will command our own armies, but we will work together on strategies and combat plans. Understood?"

"Yes, Monsieur.", he agreed, "It is exactly as you say."

"Well, the city is certainly large enough, so if you'd like, you and your people can stay here with us.", I offered.

"You are too kind, Kaiba.", he said, bowing slightly, "But, I certainly accept."

The rest of that day was spent working with the Alliance to find them housing, as well as working out the guidelines and conditions of our treaty. Yuki didn't come underground with me. I ordered her to spend some more time above ground, not wanting her to get too used to life down here. She already experienced a real battle. That alone is enough experience for her for the time being.


	13. Tragic Reunion Lovers Divided (Yuki)

"So...you made your choice, huh?", Daisuke asked me, on the other end of the phone. Him and I usually talk in the evening, if we didn't hang out that day.

"Mhm. I'm joining the Rebellion.", I confirmed. He sighed deeply, probably rubbing his head in frustration, then said,

"Well...I guess there's no helping it. Count me in, too."

"You want to join, too?", I asked him, surprised.

"I can't just let you do this alone. You're my best friend.", he told me, "Besides, I don't trust Tachibana to look after you." I giggled a bit, asking,

"What? Are you jealous?"

"Damn right, I'm jealous! You spend all your time with him lately! Gah!", he blurted out, shaking the phone around.

"Well, I won't be going back down there for a while. At least for the rest of the week.", I assured him, "We can spend plenty of time together. Just like we used to."

"...Really?", he asked.

"Yup. So, I'll see you tomorrow.", I told him.

"Right. Seeya tomorrow.", he replied, hanging up.

I set my phone down at my side, thinking about everything that happened yesterday. My time with Latch and Shirley, the battle underground, and Yusuke coming back from the dead...how was that even possible? I mean...normal people don't regenerate like that. Was he really human?

"I believe he is Giorno.", Iroha said, appearing next to me. She had a very stern look in her eyes, as if troubled.

"You think Daisuke is?", I asked, confused.

"No, I mean Yusuke.", she corrected me, "If he is able to regenerate like that...perhaps..."

"Even if he can regenerate, you can't do anything about time and aging. There's no way he's older than a hundred. There's no way he's older than twenty.", I reasoned.

"...Still...if he's capable of magical regeneration...I don't believe it would be too much of a stretch to assume he doesn't age, either.", Iroha argued.

I considered it, but still couldn't really believe it. Heck, I couldn't believe the fact that he can regenerate like that, and I saw it with my own eyes. But, Iroha is convinced that he's her master from all that time ago. I guess it's possible that he's immortal or something...but that's just too weird. That stuff doesn't happen in real life. Then again, he did use some sort of magical mind control power on Daisuke that one time. So, I guess there really could be more to him than we've seen. There could be more to the world than I thought there was.

Well, all things considered, I decided that I was going to ask him about it tomorrow. I was going to ask him to hang out with me after school, then see if I could get the information out of him through chit chat. I'm sure it would be easier from him to tell me if he relaxed a bit first. Yeah...that's what I'll do. Just for the information. It's not like I'm asking him out on a date or anything. I don't want to betray Shirley, after all. I really got help her get closer with him, too. That can wait until I go back underground, though. I laid down on my bed as I was thinking about all these things, but even though it was only about six, I fell right asleep.

When the next day came and I got to class, I saw Yusuke sitting in his seat already. Daisuke hadn't shown up yet, but that was probably for the best, anyway.

"Hey, Yusuke.", I said, walking over to him. Everyone began whispering at the sight of me calling him by his first name, but I didn't mind it. He looked up at me with the same bored expression as usual.

"I was wondering if you would spend some time with me after school.", I asked, "Like...going to get something to eat or something like that." With that comment, the class erupted with gossip. At this point, I didn't care anymore. They could think whatever they wanted. After all, we really aren't dating or anything. We're just...friends...aren't we? He does care about me, I know that. But...I wonder what he really thinks about me. Does he really consider me a friend? Or...just a teammate? I know he doesn't think of me romantically...at least I don't think he does.

"I don't have time for such frivolity. You should know that.", he told me, "Why don't you ask your friend Daisuke?"

"Well...because...I wanted to spend time...with _you_.", I emphasized, disappointed at his response. Again, the class fell into an uproar. I didn't really realize what I just said, but I didn't have time to realize it either.

"Sorry.", Yusuke said, completely shutting me down. He turned back to look out the window, leaving me to feel disappointed all by myself. Then, the class got quiet. I heard whispers of people asking, "did she just get rejected?" and things like that. I wanted to tell them all to shut up, but they were kind of right. I did just get rejected. I didn't ask him out or anything...but...the way he turned me down still kind of stung. He needs to learn to be more sensitive with women.

All I could do was take my seat and wait for class to start. Daisuke came in before the final bell rang, and even though he tried to ask me what was wrong, I couldn't exactly tell him that I asked Yusuke out on a date and got rejected. Wait...no. It wasn't a date. I was just asking him to go do something so I could ask him some questions. That's all it was...really...but...I don't why it felt like I couldn't tell Daisuke. It's not like I had a crush on Yusuke or anything. I wouldn't be betraying my friendship with Daisuke. Gah...whatever.

The school day went by very slowly, but eventually, it ended. Daisuke pulled Yusuke aside to that back stairway to ask him about joining the Rebellion. Yusuke agreed and gave him the Duel Monsters rulebook.

"Forty-eight pages?!", Daisuke whined.

"Oh, come on, Daisuke. It's not that much.", I argued.

"But I _hate_ reading!", he continued to complain.

"You'd prefer learning by actually dueling?", I asked him.

"Yeah. _Definitely_.", he said.

"Then I can take you underground today.", Yusuke told him, "I'll have a deck built for you and a Duel Disk assigned to you. Then, I'll have one of my men teach you how to Duel through practice. Sound good?"

"Yeah! Sounds great!", Daisuke exclaimed, pumped up, "Alright!"

"Should I come, too?", I asked.

"You stay up here.", Yusuke ordered me, "You're still on leave."

"Oh...okay.", I replied, a tiny bit disappointed I didn't get to watch Daisuke duel.

"Come on, Daisuke. I'll show you the way.", Yusuke said, walking towards the tunnel, "You can go home, Yuki."

"Right...", I agreed, softly.

Why was he being so distant? It's like he was pushing me away on purpose. Was he upset because I knew his secret? Or...was it something else? Either way, I had nothing more to do at school, so I just headed home. You had to pass through a shopping area to get to my house from the school, and sometimes I would stop and get something for dinner, but I didn't stop anywhere this time. I just went straight home.

When I arrived, Mom wasn't there, as usual. She works most of the day until the evening, then comes home around five or six. She'll occasionally come home for an hour or so, but most of the time she just stays at work. Since my father left, she has to work hard for us both. I try to make it as easy on her as possible by not being picky and being happy with what she can afford for us. She keeps the roof over our head, after all. So, I walked up to my room, got my laptop out, and browsed the internet for a while, doing nothing in particular. I felt so...bored. Without purpose. I guess being underground was just so exciting...everything else felt boring now.

About an hour passed, and I felt like going out and doing something, so I decided to change out of my uniform. I closed my blinds and took of my school clothes, then opened my dresser and looked for something nice I could wear. I wasn't doing anything in particular, but I at least wanted to look nice if I was going out. As I was deciding what to wear, I heard my door open. I thought it was my mom coming home early or something, so I didn't think anything of it. But, when I heard a deep voice, I jumped, startled.

"Yuki, I have some spare time, so...we can do something if you want." I looked over to see Yusuke...somehow. He was in my doorway...staring at me...in my underwear. Unfazed.

"Hurry up and get dressed. I don't have a lot of time.", he continued, straight faced.

"G..G..Get out!", I shouted, throwing a rubix cube I had on top of my dresser at him. I was aiming for his face, but before it hit him, he simply grabbed it out of mid air.

"No need to get violent.", he said, almost as if he were offended. He left the room and closed the door behind him, staying completely silent on the otherside, with nary an apology to give.

He...saw me...in my underwear. Oh, god... That was so embarrassing. But...he didn't look bothered at all. He was totally straight faced. Am I really that unappealing...? Wait! What am I thinking?! Why do I care about what he thinks of me?! Especially in my underwear! Am I some kind of pervert or something? No. I have more self-respect than that. He was a creep for walking into a girls room without knocking like that. But...how did he even know where I lived? Did he follow me? No...I've been here for at least an hour. He went underground as well. Maybe he checked out where I lived before, so he would know where to find me if he needed me.

"Hurry up. I don't have all day.", Yusuke said to me, through the door.

"S-shut up! I wasn't expecting you to be here! I need a little time to get ready!", I argued with him.

"How long?", he asked.

"...well...", I mumbled, thinking about it. I kind of wanted to fix my hair a bit...and I guess a little makeup wouldn't hurt. I still didn't know what I wanted to wear, either...but, I'm not trying to look nice for him or anything. It's just because I'm going out. I want to look good. I was already doing that, anyway. That's all there is to it.

"Forty-five minutes...?", I suggested.

"Forty-five minutes, she says...Fine.", he sighed, exasperated, "We'll meet at the station in Forty-five minutes." After that, I could hear his footsteps move away from my door, eventually going downstairs and leaving. I took a deep sigh of relief. Now I could get ready in peace. Still, though. I didn't want to keep him waiting too long. I was the one who invited him, after all. I debated what I was going to wear for a while, then decided on a new outfit my mom bought for me. It was all white, and since it was so bright and sunny out, I think it would look great. I even had a really pretty hat to go with it.

So, I got dressed, put on a little makeup, and fixed my hair a bit, and I was done in about thirty minutes. I thought I would need longer, but I guess not. You can really hurry if you need to be somewhere So, since I figured he would already be waiting there, I decided to head out to the station right away. Luckily, it was only about a three minute walk from my house.

When I got outside and began walking, I looked up to the bright blue sky and saw there wasn't a single cloud. For some reason, that always felt lucky to me. Maybe today would be a really good day. Maybe this date would lead to something good. So, feeling a bit more confident, I hurried up and trotted to the station. But, when I rounded the corner and looked for Yusuke, I didn't see him anywhere. He wasn't sitting on any of the benches waiting. Actually, there weren't a whole lot of people here right now. There was one person who caught my eye, though. It was beautiful young woman with golden hair and light blue eyes, staring off into the distance. She was sitting on the bench, almost as if she were waiting for someone as well. So, I decided to wait along with her. I approached her, intending to make conversation, but I noticed she had a Duel Disk on her arm. A Duel Disk? So...she was a rebel as well? I had never seen her before, but she might be. I haven't met everyone in the rebellion, after all. So, before I got any closer, I pulled that card that Yusuke gave me out of my bag, signifying I'm part of the Rebellion.

"Hi, there!", I called to her.

"Oh...Hello.", she replied, seeming surprised that I talked to her. I held up my card to her, showing her that I was part of the Rebellion. But, instead of a happy or pleasantly surprised reaction, her reaction suddenly turned to an angry one, as if offended. She quickly took the card from me and looked it over with great intensity.

"Where did you find this?", she asked me, sternly.

"Um...it was...given to me.", I mumbled, realizing that she probably wasn't from the Rebellion.

"By whom?", she pressed.

"I...don't know.", I lied, "I didn't see their face." She looked over the card again, examining it carefully, then handed it back to me.

"If you ever see that person again, you should give this card back to them.", she told me, "A young girl like you shouldn't get involved with those kinds of people." A young girl like me? What was that supposed to mean? She didn't look much older than me.

"Viviana!", Iroha called, appearing behind me. The woman in front of me gasped with surprise. She was looking straight at Iroha.

"...Iroha...?", she mumbled in disbelief, "How are you...?"

"You can see her, too?", I asked the woman.

"Yes...though...how can you see her as well?", she asked me.

"I...don't know. I just began seeing her the other day.", I confessed, "Your name is Viviana?"

"Yes...it is.", she confirmed, "But...why is Iroha here?"

"Viviana! Giorno is-", Iroha stopped.

"Yuki. You're early.", I heard Yusuke call. Looking straight ahead, I saw him walking closer to us.

"That...voice...", Viviana muttered, as if in disbelief. She stood up, then looked behind her. Their eyes locked, and they both froze in shock.

"Viviana...? You're...alive?", Yusuke asked, floored.

"Giorno...", Vivana mumbled in response, "Yes...I am." Her voice went from shocked and shaken, to angry and hateful. She clenched one fist, then held her Duel Disk forward, activating it.

"Now, I can have my revenge!", she shouted.

"Revenge?!", Yusuke blurted, confused. Revenge? What does she mean? What did Yusuke do? And...she called him Giorno...and he called her Viviana...and Iroha knows her...so...Yusuke really _is_ Giorno...?

"All those years ago...in our final mission...you left me to die.", she replied, deeply pained, "Even when I called out to you...you ignored me. You left me to die a slow, painful death, all alone."

"No...Viviana...I wasn't even there. I never got to go to our final mission.", Yusuke tried to explain.

" _Liar!_ ", Viviana shouted, "I saw you with my own eyes! You lead us into a trap! Some of our dearest friends died!"

"I'm telling you! That wasn't me! It was an imposter!", he argued.

"I won't hear anymore excuses... _I will never forgive you!_ ", she yelled at him, obviously very hurt. It didn't sound like she wanted to say all this, but...I don't know. It sounded like it hurt her to tell him these things. So, she put one monster on the field, then somehow summoned another. Then, she overlaid them for an Xyz Monster. I was behind her, so I didn't see much of anything, but she cried out once more.

" _Die, Giorno!_ ", and a blast of energy flew straight at him from her monster, creating a large explosion. Yusuke was blasted back against one of the pillars in the station, and the small amount of people who were still at the station fled. It was just the three of us now. I couldn't let Yusuke get hurt, so I quickly put on my Duel Disk, set up my deck, then pushed a button to challenge her. I guess if someone is already Dueling, they can't refuse a Duel Request or something, because it automatically accepted the duel and ended her turn.

"What...?", she mumbled, "Why can't I attack again?!"

"Because it's my turn!", I shouted, "I draw!"


	14. Tragic Reunion Lovers Divided (Viviana)

Three Days Ago...

* * *

"Are you beginning to adjust to life in the new world?", she asked me.

"Yes.", I confirmed, "It's been...difficult, but I'm coming to accept it all."

"I'm glad. You were put to sleep for a long time. Waking up all of a sudden...that couldn't be easy.", she sympathized.

"I was put to sleep?", I asked, thinking that I was deceased this whole time.

"Mhm. You were rescued from the wreckage of a building, but they saw that your wounds healed by themselves. So, they decided to study you. They made sure you didn't regain consciousness, as they didn't want you to become aware of all the tests they were doing.", she explained, "But, when my generation came around and I took over as head of the research division, I didn't think it was humane to have you trapped there like a lab rat. You were a person too, after all."

This woman, named Alexis, was so warm and kind, like a loving mother. My mother passed away when I was very young, and I never knew my father, but I imagine this woman is very much like what a loving mother would be like.

"You are...a wonderful person, Alexis.", I told her, looking into her eyes deeply, "You've given me another chance at living, and I can never repay you."

"Geez...", she said, blushing a bit, "It's like you're confessing your love to me or something."

"Oh, my apologies.", I replied, "It's just...I imagine you would be a good mother. You are very caring and compassionate."

"Well, thank you very much.", she said smiling, "I can't have children of my own, but I like to think I'd be a good mother, too."

"You can't have children?", I asked, worried for her.

"It's...a long story. Not a very happy one, either.", she admitted, putting on a sad smile, "Maybe I'll tell you about it someday." Though I was concerned about her and wanted to hear about it, I decided to leave it be. It was probably painful for her to think about, and the last thing I wanted was to cause her grief.

"Well...despite our large age difference, I consider you a mother figure to me.", I told her. She smiled at that, then walked over and sat down next to me, staring out the same large window I was. It overlooked the entire front of the hospital, as well as everything in the close vicinity since we were so high up. In the courtyard of the hospital were three children playing on a playground constructed for young patients. From what I was told, they were all given a very limited time to live. They had some incurable disease that the doctors had never seen before. It doesn't affect them physically, other than strange marks that appear on their bodies. When the marks form, it is already too late for them to be saved. A short time later, their internal organs will very suddenly stop working.

"You'd think that, with all the advancements in all these years...there wouldn't still be evil and incurable diseases that plague the innocent.", I lamented.

"You're referring to the children?", Alexis asked, looking down at them as well.

"Well...yes. But, I am more broadly referring to the world.", I clarified.

"Would you like to go meet them?", she asked, "The children."

"May I?", I asked.

"Of course.", she replied, "With everything they're facing, I'm sure they could use a friend. Come on."

And so, Alexis lead me through the hospital towards the elevator. We passed many rooms, and anytime a patient would see Doctor Alexis, they would smile and wave. She was very loved here, and I can understand why. After a short walk and a ride down the elevator, we arrived at the courtyard where all of the children were playing.

"Doctor Alexis!", they all called out when they saw her, running happily to her side.

"Hey there! How are you guys doing?", she asked, cheerily, placing her hands on their heads.

"Oh, Doctor! We were wondering!", the young boy interrupted, "Is there other universes in the world?" She thought about it for a moment, probably not really knowing how to respond.

"Of course there are.", I told them, walking closer.

"Hm? Who are you?", the oldest child, a young girl, asked me.

"This is-", Alexis began.

"I'm Doctor Alexis's daughter.", I told them, smiling, "It's nice to meet you."

"You have a daughter?!", they all exclaimed. Alexis was surprised at my statement, but decided to go along with it.

"Yes, I do! I didn't even know I had one until yesterday!", she laughed.

"Is she your long lost daughter?", a young boy asked.

"Something like that.", I agreed, "My name is Viviana."

"Viviana...that's such a pretty name!", the girl remarked.

"I'm glad you think so. What are your names?", I asked them.

"I'm Karin.", the girl said.

"I'm Naota!", the young boy told me, proudly.

"I'm Max.", the youngest added, quietly.

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you.", I said, crouching down to their level, "Can we be friends?"

"Sure!", Naota said.

"I'd love to!", Karin agreed.

"Mhm.", Max replied.

"So, are you from another universe?", Naota asked.

"Me? Oh, no.", I said, "But, I know someone who is."

"Really?!", they all gasped.

"Mhm! And he says that there's lots of different universes.", I affirmed.

"Is there a universe where we don't have these marks?", Max asked me, softly. That shook me a little, but I did my best to stay unfazed.

"Yes. There is.", I agreed, trying to stay positive.

"Wooow...", they all mumbled. Their saddened amazement only added to the pain I felt for them.

"I want to go to that universe...", Naota said, a bit dejected.

"Me too...", Karin replied. The way they said these things...the repressed pain in their voices...it caused my resolve and optimism to shatter. I quickly stood up, turned around, and hid my face.

"Huh? Are you okay, Viviana?", Karin asked.

"Yes! I'm fine!", I replied, as cheerily as I could, my voice inadvertently shaking, "I just need to go get some water." With that final comment, I walked away very quickly, trying to hold back my tears until I was far enough away for them not to hear me. When I made it inside the hospital and around the corner, I began to weep, letting out all the sadness I had for them. I was always very emotional and empathetic to people, especially children. Giorno and I both lost our mothers around the same time, and our fathers both left before we were born. That was how we met. At the orphanage. Now that I'm older, I find I have so much empathy for children in need.

Shortly after I began crying, I felt a hand on my back, and by the warm and comforting aura, I could tell it was Alexis.

"It's not fair...", I cried.

"Most of the time...life isn't.", she agreed, rubbing my back gently.

"How do you do it...staying so positive, knowing their pain?", I asked, trying to regain my composure.

"It comes with time and experience.", she said to me, "You learn to keep a certain emotional distance from your patients. If I took on the pain of all my patients...I would be a mess all the time."

"I see...", I muttered, wiping my tears, "I've witnessed the death of my closest comrades...but this...fills me with a different kind of sadness."

"Well...seeing someone die is one thing, but watching someone walk the path to death...unable to control their fate...that's something entirely different. Even for me...it's a hard thing to accept.", she empathized.

"...It hurts.", I told her, grabbing my chest, lightly.

"I know.", she said, embracing me softly, "How about we get you out of this hospital? We can go out and see the city."

"Will that rid of me of this sadness?", I asked her.

"Maybe not...but it will take your mind off of it.", she explained.

"Then...let's go.", I accepted, not wanting to be there any longer. This hospital...though it was my current home, the illness and sadness within it was too much to bear sometimes. I had only been outside of it once while Alexis was showing me a bit of the town, but I am glad I get to return to the outside world.

So, we explored the city that was a short distance from the hospital. We visited several shops, talked to many people, and Alexis even bought me a few things. I got a nice blue dress, and two pretty ribbons to wear in my hair. While we were out enjoying ourselves, the thoughts of all the sadness slowly left me, if only for a short time. Alexis once said that distracting yourself can be good for temporary relief, but eventually, you need to challenge what is ailing you. Eventually, we had to return to the hospital, but for the next few days, I spent my free time with the children. We played together, talked about the world and animals...anything happy to keep them from their sadness. I taught Karin how to braid her long hair, and gave her one of my ribbons to wear. I taught Max and Naota about Dueling and told them stories about all the fun we used to have. I just wanted to distract them as much as possible.

"I hope I'll get to be as pretty you.", Karin told me.

"You will be.", I told her, "You'll grow up to be a beautiful, kind hearted girl."

"You think so...?", she asked me, as if she didn't want me to answer. She knew that she didn't have long..and so did I...but I wanted to give her some kind of hope. Though...I couldn't bring myself to answer her question honestly.

"I...I think so.", I told her, biting my lip.

So, as always, we parted ways and headed back to our rooms after the sun began to set. However, It was on the third day that I went to them that I fell into a spell of despair, the likes of which I had never felt before. As I walked to the courtyard to play with the children again, I noticed Karin was missing. She was always here, but I didn't think anything of her absence at the moment.

"Is Karin not here today?", I asked. The children immediately got a grim look on their faces.

"Karin is...not here anymore.", Naota said, sadly. I felt like every bone in my body froze solid. I couldn't move. I couldn't feel anything. I was...broken. I didn't know how I was supposed to feel...but...I didn't want to be there anymore. Although I wanted to stay and support Naota and Max, I found myself running out of the courtyard, through the hospital, and out to the street. I didn't know where I was going, but I didn't want to be there anymore.

"Viviana! Where are you going?", Alexis called, running outside after me.

"I want to leave...I want to leave this place.", I told her, still in shock, "I don't want to be in this sad place anymore..." Alexis didn't comment on that statement at first. She merely kept a respectful distance.

"I think...that's a good idea.", she said, after a long silence, "Why don't you head into town? I'll come meet up with you later." I didn't respond, I merely ran. I kept running. And despite not feeling anything, I felt tears beginning to pour from my eyes. I was so torn...so broken inside. My own body didn't know how to respond. Karin was...gone. Forever.

When I got into town, I just found a bench to sit on...and mourned. Some strangers tried to console me...but I didn't respond to them. I merely sat there, taking my time to feel sad. Alexis said that sometimes we just need to feel sad, and there's nothing we can do about it. I sat there for what felt like hours, crying, recovering, then breaking down again. Over and over.

Then, once I had mostly recovered, Alexis came, carrying my Duel Disk and deck.

"I think it's time you put your gift to good use.", she said, "We have a home for you in the housing district. You can stay there from now on. Now, you'll be free from that place. That's what you want, right?"

"Right...", I agreed, wiping my tears once more. Alexis walked over to me, setting my things besides me, then embracing me warmly.

"I'll visit you often.", she told me, "I uploaded the location of your home to your Duel Disk. No matter where you go, as long as you have your Duel Disk with you, you'll always find your way home."

"Thank you...for everything.", I told her, "Tell Max and Naota...that I'm sorry."

"Will do. You just take time for yourself right now.", she urged me.

"Right...", I agreed. With that, she turned around and left.

I equipped my Duel Disk, then looked through the cards I was given.

Tragic HERO...such a fitting archetype. After everything I've been through...it's like these cards understand me. Like they were made specifically for me. I sat there examining them for some time before putting them into my Duel Disk and staring off into the distance.

"Hi, there!", a young girl's voice called to me. I glanced over, a bit thrown off by someone acting so cheerily. Everyone around me was pitying me a while ago. She seemed so happy. It was...refreshing.

"Oh...Hello.", I replied. I was thinking that maybe this girl was the person I needed to turn my mood around, since she seemed so different from everyone else. But, my feelings swiftly changed when she pulled out a Duel Monster card from her bag. "Raising the Rebellion Flag", it said. I quickly grabbed it from her, looking it over thoroughly to make sure it was really what I thought it was.

"Where did you find this?", I asked her, seriously.

"Um...it was...given to me.", she mumbled, suddenly acting timid. I guess it was natural she act timid if I was talking so forcefully, but I needed to know if she was a rebel or not.

"By whom?", I continued.

"I...don't know.", she said, shrinking down, "I didn't see their face." I wasn't really sure if she was telling the truth, but either way, I wanted to steer her clear of the rebels. I looked over the card one last time, then handed it back to her.

"If you ever see that person again, you should give this card back to them.", I suggested, "A young girl like you shouldn't get involved with those kinds of people."

"Viviana!", a ghostly voice called. A moment later, I saw...Miracle Priestess Iroha appear behind the girl. That was a card that Giorno used. But...why did she have that card? More importantly, why was I seeing a phantom of Iroha talking to me?

"...Iroha...?", I muttered, stunned, "How are you here...?"

"You can see her, too?", the girl asked me.

"Yes...though...how can you see her as well?", I replied.

"I...don't know. I just began seeing her the other day.", she responded, "Your name is Viviana?"

"Yes...it is.", I agreed, "But...why is Iroha here?" Why was Iroha following this girl around? Was she in possession of that card? If so...why did she have it? Was she an ancestor of Giorno, perhaps? Was his deck passed down to her?

"Viviana! Giorno is-", Iroha blurted, before stopping. Giorno is what...?

"Yuki. You're early.", a familiar voice called out. The girl looked behind me, surprised at who she saw.

"That...voice...", I mumbled, knowing whose it was. I stood straight up, then looked behind me cautiously. I didn't believe it at first...but there before me...was Giorno. The man I loved...the man who betrayed me. When our eyes met, we froze in mutual shock.

"Viviana...? You're...alive?", he asked. I guess...he didn't plan on my survival. He just left me to die, and thought that would be the end of it. Now...now was my chance to strike back.

"Giorno...", I said, softly, "Yes...I am." As I came to terms with all that was happening, a burning anger filled me. I readied my Duel Disk, faced him, then began my assault.

"Now, I can have my revenge!", I shouted with conviction.

"Revenge?!", he blurted, as if confused.

"All those years ago...in our final mission...you left me to die.", I replied, remembering every moment of that day, "Even when I called out to you...you ignored me. You left me to die a slow, painful death, all alone."

"No...Viviana...I wasn't even there. I never got to go to our final mission.", he lied.

" _Liar!_ ", I spat, "I saw you with my own eyes! You lead us into a trap! Some of our dearest friends died!"

"I'm telling you! That wasn't me! It was an imposter!", he continued.

"I won't hear anymore excuses... _I will never forgive you!_ ", I yelled, collecting every ounce of pain and hatred I had. Despite all the hatred I felt...this was still the man that I fell in love with. But that didn't matter anymore. I drew my cards, then summoned Tragic HERO - Sayaka. Using her effect, I discarded my Tragic HERO - Misguided Knight to Special Summon Tragic HERO - Subaru. From there, I overlaid both of them to Xyz Summon Tragic HERO - Prometheus.

" _Die, Giorno!_ ", I exclaimed, then ordered Prometheus to fire a raging inferno blast at him, causing a large explosion that knocked him backwards into a pillar. I hesitated for a moment again...this was Giorno I was trying to kill. I almost didn't want to, but I had to discard my feelings. He betrayed me. He isn't the person that I thought I knew. So, I prepared to attack again, but it wouldn't let me. I was immediately sent into my End Phase.

"What...?", I muttered, confused, "Why can't I attack again?!"

"Because it's my turn!", the girl behind me shouted, "I draw!"


	15. The Tragic Heroine - Viviana

Yusuke was in trouble, and I was the only one who could save him. Looking behind Viviana, I could see him lying on the ground, unmoving. He obviously wasn't dead, but he appeared to be unconscious. Before, he was able to shake off a blast to the chest, but he still wasn't waking up. I didn't know what that was all about, but I hoped he would wake up soon and run. It was up to me to keep him safe for now...but...I wondered if I was really doing the right thing. She said that Yusuke betrayed her...but...I can't really disprove that statement. If he did really leave her to die...how is she alive? Is she an immortal, like him? Why is she angry about dying, then? Was it the fact that he betrayed her that makes her so mad? And if he's immortal, she can't really kill him. She would basically just keep torturing him over and over.

Regardless of all that, I had to fight now. So, I took a look at what I had in my hand and began working.

"First, I'll summon 'Miracle Wyvern' in attack mode!", I called out, putting the card on the field. So, a reptilian creature with two legs and wings appeared. He was white and gold themed, just like the rest of my Miracle monsters, and his body was full of feathers, just like Miracle Dragon. He sort of looked like a younger Miracle Dragon, and his effect related to that.

"Level 4 - 1600 ATK"

On her side of the field, I saw she had an Xyz Monster called 'Tragic HERO - Prometheus'. It had 2400 attack, so it looked like a strategy I had would work.

"Next, I'll activate 'Hardlight Cannon'! By tributing a LIGHT-Attribute monster on my side of the field, I can destroy a monster on your field with double the tributed monster's attack or less. I choose your Prometheus!", I ordered. So, a high tech cannon made entirely of holographic blue light appeared on my field. Miracle Wyvern was turned into a ball of energy, then loaded into the cannon. A moment later, he was fired out in a large white blast, blowing straight through Prometheus and destroying him.

"I activate my Tragic HERO - Subaru's effect. When he's sent to the Graveyard while attached to an Xyz Monster, I can Special Summon him to my side of the field in Defense Position along with any other Xyz Materials attached to the same monster.", Viviana countered. And so, two more monsters appeared on the field.

Tragic HERO Subaru was a man in a long black coat wielding a scythe, while the other one who appeared, Tragic HERO Sayaka was a peaceful looking woman in a white robe wielding a sword.

"Level 4 - 1000 DEF"  
"Level 4 - 800 DEF"

It looked like my attempt to wipe her field didn't pay off, but because she had monsters on her field now, I could put another strategy into effect.

"I activate my Wyvern's effect in the Graveyard. When my opponent controls monsters and I don't, I can banish him to Special Summon Miracle Dragon from my hand!", I called. And so, once again, my Miracle Dragon made his entrance, in all his glory.

"Level 8 - 2500 ATK"

"Now, I'll attack your Tragic HERO Subaru with my Miracle Dragon!", I ordered, "Heavenly Barrage!"

Miracle Dragon flew up into the air once more, spread his wings, and unleashed a hailstorm of golden feathers, destroying Subaru instantly and shattering him into a million pieces. Now she couldn't Xyz Summon with him again, which also meant that she couldn't Summon back the materials destroyed. I was gaining a slight lead.

"Now, I'll set one card and end my turn.", I finished, setting Threatening Roar.

"You intend yo stop me...fine. My turn.", she replied, calmly drawing, "I activate 'Tragic Bond'. If I control a 'HERO' monster, I can Special Summon up to two Tragic HERO monsters from my hand. I'll Special Summon 'Tragic HERO - Fallen King' from my hand." And so appeared a man in a black cloak, covered by a mask that resembled the top of a Black King chess piece. His presence was very commanding and mysterious, kind of like of Yusuke. He was standing motionless, as if waiting for the perfect moment to strike, with only his cape blowing in the wind.

"Level 4 - 1200 ATK"

"Next, if Tragic HERO - Devoted Knight is in my Graveyard when I Normal Summon Fallen King, I can Special Summon him with Fallen King's effect."

Then, she summoned another monster. This time, it was a knight wearing pure white armor with gold trim. He stood in front of the Fallen King, guarding him fiercely. He was carrying a large, blood red sword with a shiny handle.

"Level 6 - 2200 ATK"

"Now, I'll fuse my Black King, Devoted Knight, and Sayaka.", she said, apparently not needing to use Polymerization. I read about this when going through the rulebook. This kind of fusion was called a Contact Fusion, meaning the card she was going to Fusion Summon stated that it doesn't require Polymerization. The three monsters on her field flew up towards a spiraling, red and blue portal, then twisted around and merged together as they entered it.

"Fusione Contatto!", she announced, "Venire! Level Ten! 'Tragic HERO - Requiem!'"

"Level 10 - 3500 ATK"

Her Fusion Monster appeared. A large warrior, covered in black and gold mech armor with mechanical wing spikes coming off of it. It was extremely daunting, the way it looked down at me with it's glowing red eyes.

"Three thousand five hundred...", I murmured, in shock. I had something I could do to destroy it, theoretically...but I wasn't able to do it on her turn. I just had to hope my Miracle Dragon lasted until then. I did have Threatening Roar set, though, so I was safe from attacks for one turn.

"I activate Requiem's effect. Once per turn, I can take control of one of your monsters until the End Phase. Your Miracle Dragon is mine.", she revealed. Her Requiem fired out several red cords from it's chest that wrapped around my Miracle Dragon, forcefully pulling him it to her side of the field. Miracle Dragon roared and struggled defiantly, but couldn't keep it up. He was brought over to her side of the field, then roared at me once again. This was the second time he was taken from me. It was a pretty heart breaking thing, seeing your own monsters go against you. Especially ones that have served you well in the past. Miracle Dragon was practically my ace monster, and seeing him taken from me was hard enough without him attacking me.

"Now, I'll attack directly with Requiem.", Viviana told me, "Go! Hadronic Burst Attack!"

Her Requiem began charging up an energy blast on the center of it's chest, getting ready to fire.

"Not this time! I activate Threatening Roar!" The card flipped up, and a loud blast of sound fired from it, forcing Requiem to withdraw and stop charging, and preventing her from declaring an attack this turn.

"Hmm...I'm impressed.", Viviana complimented me, "Most normal Duelists wouldn't be doing as well as you are."

"...Thank you.", I said to her, "But...I'm just trying to protect Yusuke...or...Giorno."

"Why? Why would you protect him?", she asked, not understanding my reasoning, "After everything he's done...he doesn't deserve your kindness."

"Because he's never done anything to hurt me. He's always watched out for me, and I can tell he really cares about me.", I explained, passionately. She scoffed, saying,

"So, he charmed you as well...I pity you. I'm surprised he hasn't turned on you like he did me." Charmed me? ...Well...I guess she's not...really wrong. But...still...

"What exactly did he do to make you hate him so much?", I asked, wanting to know about everything. She hesitated at first. I could tell that she wanted to talk about it, but resisted.

"...None of it matters anymore. All that I care about now is my revenge.", she said, "I end my turn."

It looked like I wasn't getting anything out of her at the moment, so I began my own turn. I drew my card, a bit sadly, thinking about all this. She's convinced he betrayed her, but based on his reaction to seeing her, and just knowing who he is as a person...I think he still cares about her. I can't imagine he'd do something as horrible as letting her die. But...I had to focus on the duel right now. I had a combo ready that could take down her Requiem, and since it was my turn, I finally set it into motion.

"First, I'll activate 'Claws of the Shining Dragon' by targeting my Miracle Dragon. Since he's a Dragon-type, he gains five hundred attack, plus another five hundred for each Dragon-type monster I reveal in my hand.", I told her, revealing my Miracle Rebellion Dragon, "Since I have one, his attack is boosted to thirty five hundred. And since Claws of the Shining Dragon isn't an equip card, his attack is permanent."

"Level 8 - 3500 ATK"

"You intend to destroy both of our monsters?", Viviana asked.

"No. Only yours.", I told her, "Now, I activate 'Hardlight Armor'. By sending a LIGHT-Attribute monster from my hand to the Graveyard, I can target my Miracle Dragon, and this turn, he can't be destroyed by battle." Viviana looked honestly surprised at that move. I guess I was performing beyond her expectations.

I discarded 'Miracle Rebellion Dragon', then used Hardlight Armor on Miracle Dragon, covering him blue, holographic battle gear.

"Battle!", I exclaimed, "Miracle Dragon! Attack her Requiem! Brilliant Strike!"

Miracle Dragon flew up into the air, spun elegantly, then dived straight at her Requiem, slashing it with his claws and destroying it in one strike. Her Requiem exploded into pieces, then Miracle Dragon returned to my field, letting out a triumphant roar.

"Good job, Miracle Dragon!", I announced, "With that, I end my turn!"

"I'm surprised. The only other person who could ever fight me on equal terms like this was Giorno.", she complimented me again.

"Thank you.", I told her, "I just really wish we didn't have to fight like this. I wish we could all just peacefully talk this out." She looked down at the ground, obviously very troubled. It seemed like she agreed with me, but her emotions were forcing her to be stubborn and try and get revenge. I think deep in her heart, she still really cared for Yusuke. I don't really think she honestly wanted to kill him. She opened her mouth to respond, and it was almost as if she were about to agree with me, but she stopped herself, merely saying,

"I draw..."

She looked over her cards for a moment, then continued.

"I activate 'Tragic Sacrifice'.", she told me, "By banishing HERO monsters from my field or Graveyard, I can Special Summon a Tragic HERO from my deck with a level equal to or less than the total level of the monsters banished. I choose Prometheus and Subaru."

This card effect almost sounded like Rebellion Summoning, but the monsters were banished instead of sent to the Reinforcement Zone. Due to the effect, she got a card from her deck, then Special Summoned it.

"Salvami, 'Tragic HERO - Karna'.", she said, melancholically. This monster was a large man in armor that looked like it was made of stone or bones. Maybe both. He had two large spiky wings, a spiked helmet, and battered armor. He carried a large, cracked sword over his shoulder, and the look in his eyes was grim, like he'd seen too much.

"Level 10 - 3000 ATK"

"...we were in love, you know?", Viviana said, finally starting to open up, "We promised to run away together...to be together forever after the war. We wanted to live in a world where Duel Monsters could bring smiles to everyone. A world where everyone was unique, away from the Dominion. A world of peace."

"That's...", I mumbled, finally realizing the origin of the Rebellion. Yusuke...he was doing all this for her. Thinking she was dead...he was trying to create the world that they dreamed of together. That...hurt, for some reason. In an instant, I felt so insignificant in comparison to her, at least in his eyes. And...that didn't feel good.

"Viviana...that's exactly what we're trying to do in the Rebellion.", I confessed.

"...you are?", she asked, caught off guard.

"Do you know the person who's leading this Rebellion? The person who's facing off against the Dominion, who controls most of the world, just to make a world like that?", I suggested. Her eyes widened as she began to realize what was going on.

"That's right. It's Giorno.", I told her, "Even though he thought you were dead, he was still working to make your dream come true." She looked down at the ground, distressed and confused, but her denial and anger caused her to make excuses.

"So what? It's not as if he's doing this for my sake! Even without me...even without me this was his goal! It has nothing to do with me!", she spat, "I activate Karna's effect! Once per turn, I can Special Summon a Tragic HERO from my Hand or Graveyard in Attack Position! I choose Tragic HERO - Requiem!"

And so rose again her black Requiem, looming over me threateningly.

"I use Requiem's effect to take control of your Miracle Dragon!", she added, her Requiem grabbing my Dragon again and adding him to her field, leaving me wide open. She struggled for a moment, taking deep breaths, almost like she was starting to cry. She seemed to be overwhelmed by all this. She was thinking that he stabbed her in the back and betrayed everything they hoped for, but now she's realizing that he didn't forget about her. He's doing all this...for her. And...that ruins everything she thought she knew. It ruins the point of her revenge. Yeah, maybe she thinks he left her to die, but this just proves that he hasn't forgotten about her.

"Such a fleeting moment in time...nothing remains. Everything ends! My monsters, attack directly!", she ordered.

Requiem charged up a big red blast, Karna readied his blade and charged at me, and Miracle Dragon flew up into the air, unleashing all of his feathers at me. But, even so, it wasn't over. I banished my Miracle Rebellion Dragon in the Graveyard, and because of that, I survived. I took 3500 Damage and was knocked off of my feet, but I survived. I was tossed all the way across the area, almost to the edge of the street. I got a few scrapes, but I wasn't seriously injured. The dust began to clear, and I slowly started recovering from the shock. Even though Viviana probably thought she won, she realized I was still in the game shortly after. She was breathing heavily, probably recovering from all of her frustration.

"I activated...my Miracle Rebellion Dragon's effect in the Graveyard.", I told her, slowly getting back up, "If I'm attacked directly, and it would deplete my Life Points to zero...I can banish my Dragon and negate the attack, as well as end the Battle Phase."

"You...survived...", she mumbled, sighing. She was getting a hold of her emotions again, and looked relieved that she didn't actually hurt me seriously. She was beginning to think clearly, it seemed. So, I used this opportunity to try and convince her to stop this and give Yusuke a chance.

"Viviana, Yus-, I mean...Giorno has never forgotten about you.", I told her, with a pain in my chest, "I've known him for long enough to understand that if he cares about someone, he won't do anything to hurt them, at least not intentionally. The reason he kept fighting, even against impossible odds, is because he wants to fulfill the dream you had all those years ago. I really believe that."

"Then...explain to me. Explain to me how I saw him during the final battle. I was with him the whole time. How could what I have seen be wrong?", she replied.

"I...don't know. But, I believe that it was someone else. There's no way he would leave you to die on purpose, especially if you were really in love.", I told her. Viviana stared at the ground in thought, then turned around to look at Yusuke. He was beginning to stir a bit. I guess that he only regenerates if he's wounded, but if he just gets knocked out, he takes longer to wake up or something. He's been out for a few minutes now, so there must have been a reason.

"I can't...I can't just let it go over a hunch.", she said, turning back to me, "I can't forgive him until I know for certain that it wasn't him. I won't be able to rest until my doubts are eased."

"Then can we at least make a promise?", I asked.

"...What?", she asked.

"If you win this duel, you can do whatever you want to him.", I told her, "But if I win, you set aside your revenge for now, and just talk it over with him. If you find out he's really lying...or if you really don't believe him...then you can do whatever you want. Please?"

She turned back to him again, thinking it through. Her clenched fist slowly loosened, and she sighed deeply. As I thought, she didn't really want to kill him. She just wants to know the truth. She either wants to know that she was betrayed so she can leave him, or know that it was a mistake and stay with him. That's what it seemed like.

"Very well.", she said, turning back to me, "If you really believe in him that much...if you believe that he is worth saving, then show me."

"I will.", I agreed.

"Are you sure? Even with a mere five hundred Life Points left? I still have all of mine , you know.", she added, sounding more sympathetic.

"I don't care. I have to try. Because...", I trailed off, swallowing hard, "...because I know he still loves you. And...I want him to be happy."

"...I hope you're right.", she accepted, smiling at me sadly.


	16. Battle - Soul Searching

**A/N: I apologize to every one of you for this incredibly late chapter. I was struck with a really bad respiratory infection and fever. I had a lot I wanted to write while I was in bed. To make up for it, I'll be posting chapters this weekend as well. Chapters will continue to be posted Monday-Friday after that.**

* * *

Yuki had her Miracle Dragon on the field with 3500 Attack, and only 500 Life Points left. I had Tragic HERO - Requiem and Tragic HERO - Karna on my field with 3500 and 3000 Attack respectively, and my Life Points were untouched. Requiem was able to take control of a monster until the End Phase, and Karna could Special Summon my other HERO monsters from the Graveyard or my hand. She had to destroy both of my monsters before my next turn. If she left either one of them standing, I would win. If she destroyed Requiem, I could bring him back with Karna, and if she destroyed Karna, I could just take control of her Dragon with Requiem. Either way, unless she wiped out both of my monsters, it was game over.

"This entire duel is dependent on your next draw. I hope you aren't disappointed.", I commented, sincerely.

"Me too...", she replied, placing her fingers on her deck and preparing to draw. She closed her eyes in anxiety, obviously very stressed. I felt bad for her. I had been in that place before. High stakes, everything riding on that one draw. It's paralyzing. Her fingers twitched weakly as she still refused to draw.

"I know how you feel.", I said to her, "I've been in your place many times before. But, the only thing you can do is draw and hope for the best. Just have faith."

"Right...well...Here goes...", she agreed, getting ready to pull a card from the deck, "Draw!". She was afraid to look at first, closing her eyes and slowly bringing the card in front of her. But, as she slowly peeked forward, she obviously saw something really great.

" _Yes_!", she exclaimed, happily, "I summon Miracle Priestess Iroha in attack mode!" I smiled at that. Looks like she wasn't completely out of this yet. We'd get to enjoy this duel a bit more, I thought.

...Enjoy? I suppose...I was enjoying this duel. I was certainly far more calm now than I was when I first saw Giorno again. My rage had subsided, and I was thinking much more clearly now. It seems...I needed to vent my anger a bit. I was thankful to Yuki for distracting me from my fury.

"Come on out, Shinichiro!", she called, switching Iroha to defense and summoning him, "Now I'll tune Shinichiro with Iroha!" Just like old times. Giorno would always summon Iroha, then Special Summon Shinichiro and Synchro into Miracle Prime Dragon. It seems like she learned that strategy from him. Or...he taught her...wait...

What exactly _is_ their relationship? It seems that they came here to meet, after all. She was dressed up as well, as if they were on a date...I can't think about that right now. I need to focus.

"Synchro Summon! Level Eight! Miracle Prime Dragon!", she announced. From the sky drifted hundreds of silver feathers, and I was taken back to a much happier time. Miracle Prime Dragon was always my favorite card of Giorno's. It was so elegant and beautiful, like the glistening silver moon at night.

"Level 8 - 3000 ATK"

"I'm not done yet!", she added, "Now, I'll take both my Miracle Dragons, and add them to the Reinforcement Zone!"

"Reinforcement Zone?", I asked, confused, "Is that a new gameplay mechanic?"

"Yup. Invented by the rebels who keep the game alive.", she informed me, "Now, from my deck, come forth!" Her deck dealt her a card, then she placed it on the field. Both of her dragons flew up into the air, then came crashing down, cracking the ground and allowing a monster to come forth from the destruction.

"Great dragon of unlimited power, spread your wings and unleash your wrath upon your oppressors!", she chanted, "Rebellion Summon! Come forth! Level Ten! Fury-Eyes Prime Miracle Dragon!" With that, a monster I had never seen before appeared on the field. A gigantic, black and gold dragon, the likes of which I'd never seen. He was like a corrupt form of both of her Miracle Dragons, but combined into one form. Rebellion Summon...this was definitely an evil and twisted type of Summoning.

"Level 10 - 4000 ATK"

"Even with four thousand attack, you'll only be able to destroy one of my monsters. No matter which one you destroy, I will have my Requiem on my next turn, and I can take that Dragon from you again.", I told her.

"Fury-Eyes won't be here to stay.", she told me, "Because I'm using him for a Fusion Summon!"

"A Fusion Summon?!", I exclaimed.

"I'll activate the effect of my Miracle Prime Dragon in the Reinforcement Zone.", she continued, "I can remove monsters from my side of the field or Graveyard from play, then Fusion Summon a monster that includes them as materials. I'm sending my Fury-Eyes, Miracle Dragon, and Miracle Prime Dragon!"

So, all three of her monsters flew up in front of the blue and red portal, swirling together to form a new monster. Then, a card was ejected from her Extra Deck.

"Shining beast of radiant light and unparalleled beauty. Come down from the heavens, and shine with the hope of tomorrow!", she called, passionately, "Contact Fusion! Now, Descend! Heavenly Seraph, Divine Miracle Dragon!"

And with a blinding light, something descended from the sky. It was a giant, golden dragon, with six burning wings. It had two halos floating above its head, and had an air of elegance and beauty that I had never seen before.

"Level 12 - 4500 ATK"

"It's...beautiful...", I spoke in awe.

"Well, I'm not done yet.", she continued.

"...Of course.", I agreed, regaining my composure.

"First off, if all of the Fusion Material monsters used to summon Divine Miracle Dragon were Dragon-type 'Miracle' monsters, then all cards on your side of the field are destroyed immediately.", she explained, "Go, Divine Dragon! Transcendent Maelstrom!"

The Dragon's roar echoed as he lifted up into the sky. The light coming off of him shined even greater, then launched at my monsters in a large blast of energy. They were overwhelmed by the sheer force, and destroyed, while a shockwave of energy passed through me, almost knocking me over.

"Next, I'll do this!", she called out. Her Divine Dragon shot a beam of light into my Graveyard, pulling out my Requiem and equipping him to her Dragon.

"My Requiem?!", I commented, surprised.

"When my Dragon destroys a monster on your field by his initial effect, I can take it from your Graveyard and equip it to him as an equip card, giving him the same effect as your Requiem.", she told me, "Now I can control your cards like you did mine."

"...That is...if he stays equipped.", I noted.

"...What does that mean?", she asked, skeptically.

"You'll see.", I told her, "Go ahead and finish your turn."

"Right.", she agreed, "Divine Miracle Dragon! Attack her directly! Shining Burst Stream!"

So, her Miracle Dragon charged up a golden blast in his mouth then launched it at me. She wasn't trying to hit me directly, obviously, so it just hit the ground beside me. A direct attack like that would have ended me, but I activated the effect of my Tragic HERO - Karna in the Graveyard, saving me.

"LP - 1750", my Life Points read.

"You...survived?", Yuki asked, confused.

"I activated the effect of Karna in the Graveyard.", I told her, "By banishing him, I can cut the Battle Damage I receive this turn in half."

"Damn! I was so close!", She pouted.

"You've done very well, though.", I told her, "In fact, you've done better than anyone I've ever faced, aside from Giorno. You deserve to fight me at my best."

"You mean...you weren't really trying before now?", she asked, sounding afraid.

"I was trying, I just wasn't giving it my all.", I told her, "But next turn, I'll really give you my all."

"Then...I end my turn.", she replied, a sound of dread coming to her voice.

"My turn.", I said, drawing. I looked over my hand, then continued.

"First, I'll activate 'Painful Release'. By discarding one card, I can unequip a card from your Divine Miracle Dragon.", I announced, my Spell activating. From beneath her Dragon, a mob of ghostly hands grabbed onto him, pulling my Requiem off.

"That's not all.", I told her, "If the card that was equip was a monster card, I can Special Summon to my side of the field, and your monster loses attack equal to the unequipped monster's attack."

"ATK - 1000"

"No way!", she exclaimed, horrified. And now...

"You're wide open.", I said, "Requiem! Attack her Dragon! Hadron Maelstrom!" So, he charged up his energy cannons once more, then unleashed them at full blast, destroying her Dragon and reducing her Life Points to zero.

"LP - 0"

"I...I lost...", she mumbled, falling to her knees. With that, I had won. I had earned my right to do with Giorno as I pleased. I turned around and began walking closer to his body on the ground.

"Viviana! Wait!", she exclaimed, desperately, running towards me.

"We agreed that if I won, I could do whatever I wished. Do you intend to go back on your word?", I asked, turning to her.

"I know, but please, Viviana!", she begged me, grabbing onto my arm. I frowned at her and shook her off. I wasn't going to kill him. Not until I found out the truth. I knew what I could do to get it from him. I was told just the other day.

"Yusuke...I'm...I'm sorry...", she whimpered, collapsing again.

"Giorno. You can stop feigning unconsciousness now.", I said.

"...Right.", he agreed, sitting upright, "So...you intend to kill me, then?" I crouched down, then put my hands on his head, saying,

"I was given the power to read and rewrite memories. I was told this by a man who visited me two days ago in the night. He was the one who gave me my eternal life.", she said to him, "I...I didn't want to believe you or give you a chance. I just wanted to exert my rage. But...I am willing to look into your mind and find the truth. If nothing else, Yuki has fought enough to give you that chance."

"Viviana!", she called out, happily.

"I'm grateful.", Giorno said to me, "I'm glad you'll finally get to know the truth."

"Very well.", I agreed. In that moment, I activated the power I had, just like the man told me. I was shown a string of events and experiences. Many of them involved people I had never met, and in a dark place I had never seen. But...these were all recent memories. I needed to go back farther. I searched and searched, farther and farther, but I finally found it. I found what I was looking for. Giorno meeting with the man who gave me this power. The man giving him immortality, and promising to give it to me as well. Then...the man taking his form and walking away. His very next memories were hundreds of years later...so...

"You...you really didn't...", I murmured, finally realizing he was telling the truth. I let go of him, standing up and backing towards a bench. This was all so much to process...all this time...I had thought that he betrayed me. I thought that I was getting revenge but...he never did anything wrong. I attacked him...accused him of lying and betrayal, and yet...he never fought back.

"Do you see now?", he asked, beginning to stand up.

"But...then...then man who I saw...", I mumbled.

"Stop right there!", we heard a commanding voice shout. When I looked behind us, I saw a crowd of officers pointing guns at us. They must have seen our Duel Disks and thought that we were Rebels. I mean...Giorno and Yuki _are_ Rebels, but I wasn't.

"Hold on!", a woman's voice called, "The blonde haired girl is one of us!" From the crowd came Doctor Alexis.

"Doctor!", I exclaimed, happy to see her. Maybe she could help clear all this up.

"Are these two rebels?", she asked me.

"W-well...", I stuttered. Well...they were...but I didn't want them to get arrested, or worse, hurt. Because of Yuki...I didn't torture Giorno. I calmed down enough to see the truth, that he never betrayed me. And Giorno...he's the man I love. What was I supposed to say?

"Raigeki!", I heard a voice shout. Like that, a giant blast of lightning struck in front of the officers, blinding them. From overhead, a girl flew down on a Dark Rebellion Xy Dragon.

"Yuki! Take my hand!", she called.

"Right!", she agreed, grabbing on and letting her lift her up. Her Dark Rebellion launched them back up into the air, and already the officers began firing at them.

"Giorno!", I shouted, looking back over to him. But...he was gone. Where did he go? He was there a moment ago. I only looked away for a second. I wanted him to stay but...maybe this was better. Now he wouldn't be captured. We could meet again...somehow. But...why was I helping them? They were Rebels. They were causing senseless destruction in a peaceful world. I shouldn't be happy that their leader escaped...but...he's Giorno...how can I not be happy...?

"Viviana!", Alexis called out to me, extending her arm. Instinctively, like a child running to their mother, I went to her. As I drew closer, I heard yelling from behind me, and blasts of energy came flying towards the officers and Alexis.

"Alexis!", I exclaimed, desperately. I pulled up my Duel Disk and turned on the single mode, then let it shuffle my cards again. I quickly pulled five off the top, and immediately set three trap cards. I ran in front of Alexis, then activated "Tragic Melody" to Special Summon Tragic HERO - Devoted Knight and defend her.

"Get out of here, Alexis! I'll hold them off!", I told her.

"Who were those two people with you?", she asked me, raising her voice over the combat around us.

"They were old friends of mine!", I said back.

"Old friends? Other immortals?", she asked, urgently.

"You need to get out of here, Alexis! We can talk later!", I assured her.

"R-right.", she agreed, "Be careful!"

"Okay!", I agreed. Looking forward, there were more Rebels with Duel Disks coming towards us. Quickly, I began making different moves. I activated the Equip Card "Requiem Cannon" from my hand, equipping it to my Knight and ordering him to fire upon the Rebels. I wasn't trying to hurt any of them, just stop them from advancing. The officers behind me realized they were being overwhelmed and began to form a defensive line behind me. This reminded me far too much of the war from all that time ago.

I saw a Red-Eyes Black Dragon fly in front of me and prepare to attack, but just as it fired, I activated Mirror Force, destroying it and several other nearby monsters.

"You're a duelist too?!", one of the rebels shouted, looking at me.

"Yes! So, stop fighting!", I ordered.

"Why are you on their side?!", a girl on my other side argued.

"Because they aren't evil!", I told her.

"Forget her, she's one of them!", another man further in front of me ordered them.

"Please! I don't want to hurt you!", I said to them. Just as I said that, though, an officer shot the girl to my right in the chest, instantly killing her.

"Yumie!", the guy cried out, "You _bastards_!" Filled with his rage, his Barrel Dragon fired devastating blasts at the officers behind me, obliterating several of them on impact and wounding three others. My Devoted Knight had more attack than his Barrel Dragon because of his Requiem Cannon, so I ordered him to destroy it. He charged up a blast in the gun and unleashed it violently, destroying the monster. But, to my horror, it also caused an explosion that tore the card's owner in half. The other Duelists began to focus on me, so I thought quickly and Summoned Sayaka, drew, discarded, then Special Summoned Fallen King. Then, I fused into Requiem.

Requiem was able to absorb most of their attacks unharmed since he had more attack than most of their monsters, but a moment later, a Rainbow Dragon came down from the sky to destroy him. However, I activated Requiem's ability to take control of it. It flew over to my side, roaring back at all the rebels.

"Officers, retreat! They're too much for you to handle!", I told them.

"Fall back!", the one in front called out, "Fall Back!"

"Ripiegare!", I remembered. Everything was coming back to me so vividly. It was a horrifying feeling. A terrible...despondent...revolting feeling. I didn't want to ever be in this kind of situation again. I never wanted to take the life of another person. I wanted to live forever in peace with Giorno...and yet here I am...fighting again. Was this my fate? Was I destined to be a weapon of war?

"Rainbow Dragon, attack!", I ordered. He roared, then shot a blast at their monsters, destroying a good portion of them, but also wounding several rebels.

"She's too strong!", they called, "Retreat!"

"It's Kaiba!", one of them exclaimed, pointing skyward. To my surprise, there was an even stronger monster flying towards us. Stronger than this Rainbow Dragon. Malefic Truth Dragon, 5000 Attack and Defense. Knowing that I had nothing powerful enough to stand against it, and seeing that all the officers had escaped, I hopped onto my Requiem, then ordered him to fly away at top speed. So, his jet boosters activated, and he launched off in the opposite direction from the rebels.

* * *

 _Minutes Earlier..._

* * *

"That was close...", I said to Shirley, glad that she pulled me out of there.

"Where's Kaiba?", Shirley asked me, "We followed his distress beacon, but I didn't see him down there."

"He's...", I mumbled, not really knowing how to answer. I can't really say he was with me, since he wasn't in disguise. He would have been found out. Looking forward, I saw that giant golden dragon once more, though. Although I almost couldn't believe it, riding atop him was Yusuke.

"Kaiba!", Shirley exclaimed, happily, as he flew straight past us, firing down at the ground. There was destruction everywhere in that station. First when Viviana attacked, and now with the Rebellion attacking. Each time a battle broke out, so much devastation occurred. I felt that I understood the Dominion's point of view more and more, each time I witnessed it. I don't think erasing it from history is the way to do it...but...having something like this so available for the world to use as they please...no good could come of that. For every person using it for fun, there will be some who will use it for evil. If only the human heart were pure...

"Aren't we going to help?", I asked Shirley, realizing that we were still running away.

"Kaiba ordered me to take you to safety.", she replied, "I'm taking you to our Checkpoint right now."

"Can't I help?", I asked.

"You're still too inexperienced with actual combat. That's what Kaiba says, so sorry.", Shirley replied, "I don't want you to get hurt out there right now, either."

"Right.", I agreed. So, we flew and flew, farther and farther away from the fighting.

"Are you experienced in combat?", I asked her.

"I was experienced in combat before I even knew how to duel.", she said, a bit more softly, "But I was useless at the time."

"...Right...", I mumbled, remembering the past she told me about.

"But...now I can do something about it. Now I can make sure nobody gets their smiles taken away from them!", she replied, smiling once more at me.


	17. Training Day

I was back underground again. Latch had brought me to his house where I waited for news of Yusuke and everyone else. Latch spent some time with me, but he had to go train someone to play Duel Monsters in a short time. So, he taught me a few Japanese phrases for me to pepper my speech with, and showed me his deck and strategy. It was called a "lockdown" deck, which apparently meant you take complete control of the field and prevent your opponent from playing certain cards.

His deck centered around a card called "Dark Simorgh", which prevented the opponent from setting cards, and "Anti-Spell Fragrance" which prevented enemies from activating spells from their hand, forcing them to set them. But, since they couldn't set cards, they were forced to rely solely on monsters. The rest was buffing up Dark Simorgh and increasing your defenses, making it harder for them to even attack. It was a pretty amazing strategy.

He explained to me that my deck was some kind of combination of a "Swarm" deck and a "Beatstick" deck if used properly. That meant getting a lot of monsters out on the field, as well as dishing out as many high attack monsters as possible. He said because I possessed all the summon methods and so many diverse cards and rebellion effects, it was possible for me to beat most decks out there.

So, after we talked and shared for a while, it was time for him to go I had a lot to think about, as I'm sure you can imagine. I really wanted to go help everyone, but they insisted I wasn't ready for a real battle. They said that last time, too. I wondered if I would ever be ready for a real battle in their eyes.

But, what I was more concerned with was Yusuke and, by extension, Viviana. Viviana was in love with Yusuke...and...I guess he was in love with her, too. I guess I had to face it now. This pain in my chest...that feeling of longing. I was in love with Yusuke somehow. I didn't get to know him until recently, and I never really got to spend any quality time with him. So...why? Why was I so in love? Was it because he made my life more interesting? Or was it just fate or something? Was I really just a sucker for bad boys? Or maybe I saw something in him that others didn't see.

...I guess sitting here and stressing over it wouldn't do me any good. But...it looked like I was out of the running, along with Shirley. If Viviana was alive, and they finally made up...we had no chance. I felt really hopeless and useless at the time. There was no way for me to win his affection, and there was no way for me to help him in his fight right now. I was just sitting there on a couch, worrying. It felt like hours I sat there, but eventually, there was a knock on the door. I snapped out of the daze I was in and walked over to it, looking through the hole to see who it was.

"Yuki. It's me. Open up.", Yusuke said.

"Yusuke!", I called out, excitedly. I quickly opened the door to greet him, but to my surprise, Shirley was with him.

"What did you just call him?", Shirley asked, dumbfounded.

"It's just a nickname.", Yusuke covered.

"Y-yeah. Just a nickname I came up with. Ahaha...", I laughed, nervously.

"Ohh...okay.", she sighed, "For a second there I thought you knew his real name!"

"Nope! A mystery to me, too.", I assured her, lying through my teeth.

"Were you hurt at all back there?", Yusuke asked me.

"No, I'm completely fine.", I told him, honestly.

"Good.", he said, "Because I'm going to train you for combat now."

"You are?!", I exclaimed, eager to learn.

"Yes. You and Daisuke.", he elaborated.

"Who's Daisuke?", Shirley asked.

"A new recruit, and a friend of Yuki's. She recommended him to me."

"Did you give him one of your decks, too?", she asked.

"Yes. An older one.", he told her, "It relies on Synchro Summoning."

"Oh, okay.", Shirley accepted.

"Come on. We have a lot to do.", he said to me, turning around and walking out to the street, "Shirley, I need you to go to the surface and find some clues about that thing I told you about."

"That thing?", she asked.

"The girl I want you to find.", he explained.

"The girl named Viviana?", she asked.

"Yes. Ask around the hospital. She knew a doctor named Alexis, so she might have been there.", he added. So, he really was looking for Viviana. I guess that figures, since he's still in love with her. I guess he wanted to pick up from where they left off. They didn't exactly get a chance to patch things up, but they know they aren't enemies now. It pissed me off a little, or maybe just made me jealous. I bit my lip as I followed him out along with Shirley, then watched him activate a Field Spell and Summon a giant, three headed robot dragon with black and white armor on its wings and heads.

"Whoa...", I muttered, shocked by its massive presence. Yusuke climbed up on top of it, then said,

"Get on your dragon and come follow me. Daisuke is already waiting, as per my instructions."

"Can't I ride with you?", I asked him.

"You're going to need a monster, anyway. Just do it.", he ordered.

"R-right.", I agreed, turning on my Duel Disk and drawing five cards. Once again, I drew Iroha. So, I brought out Shinichiro and Synchro Summoned for Miracle Prime Dragon again. I climbed up on his back, then said,

"Follow that big dragon, okay?", to which it growled in confirmation.

"Good. Let's go.", Yusuke said, his dragon flapping his wings slightly, then taking off.

"Bye, you guys!", Shirley called out to us. I waved with one hand and held on tight with the other as Miracle Prime Dragon took off in pursuit. From what it looked like, we were going to the Dueling Grounds. At least, that's the direction we were heading. Based on the landmarks, I mean. I didn't really know this city other than a few key places that I noticed. Latch's house was towards a big barren area they called the Wasteland, since he was head of security. Apparently that place is really vulnerable to attack, if the Dominion knew they were here.

Sure enough, we were heading to the Dueling Grounds. We came around a corner and the stadium came in sight. We flew right over the walls, where Yusuke slowed down and stopped in the middle, hovering downward. Miracle Prime Dragon followed suit and lowered us down onto the ground, after which, Yusuke and I climbed off of our monsters.

"Yuki!", Daisuke called, running over to me and hugging me. Following behind him was a little imp-looking creature with fire coming out of him, holding two rods in his hands.

"Hey, Daisuke!", I replied, happily, embracing him back.

"I'm glad you're not hurt. When they told me you were out there in some battle, I was so worried.", he replied, sweetly.

"Well, I'm alright.", I assured him, "No need to worry."

"Now, then. Let's get started.", Yusuke said, "Daisuke, Summon your Dragon."

"Right.", he agreed, "I Tribute my Flare Resonator to Summon Salvage Warrior, then use his effect to bring Flare Resonator back, and Synchro Summon for a Level Eight."

"Wow, that's quite a combo. You're already really good...", I mumbled.

"Nah, I was shown this combo by Tachibana. I'm still a novice.", he admitted, "Now, Synchro Summon. Level Eight. Red Dragon Archfiend." With that, a giant red and black dragon appeared behind him, looking like some sort of demon.

"Level 8 - 3000 ATK", it read.

"Wow...that's pretty cool.", I replied.

"Right? I can totally get used to all this dueling stuff. I already have really good cards.", he boasted, "Now all I gotta do is get good with them. Everything after that will be a piece of cake."

"It won't be as easy as you think it will be.", Yusuke told him, "Especially in a battle."

"Well, that's what you're here to teach me.", Daisuke responded.

"Yes.", he agreed, "Now, most of the time, we'll see a battle coming before it happens. That gives us time to set up our field. However, that won't always be the case. Therefore, you need to be able to deal with whatever hand you're given, as drawing cards wastes time."

"But aren't some hands dead draws?", I asked him.

"In that case, you'll still need to work with what you have. Set any traps, activate any useful spells, then draw. Time management is crucial.", he told us, "Now, I want you to draw five cards, use the best combination you can with those cards, then keep drawing one card at a time and find what you can do with them. Once you deck out, you can stop."

"Right.", we agreed, drawing a card. We did exactly as he said. We made the best moves we could with the cards we were given, then continued to do so as we drew more cards. Eventually, I was able to Summon my Divine Dragon again and power him up to 5000 Attack. It was probably the best I could do at the time. By the time he was that strong, I decked out.

Daisuke on the other hand was doing even better than me. After he got his Red Dragon Archfiend on the Field, he actiavted "Dark World Dealings" to draw one card, then discard once card. Then, he Normal Summoned "Blackwing - Blizzard the Far North", then used his effect to Special Summon "Blackwing - Mistrel the Shield" from his Graveyard. From there, he Synchro Summoned with both Blackwing monsters and his Red Dragon Archfiend.

What came next was a giant red and yellow Dragon called Red Nova Dragon. Apparently he gained 500 Attack for every tuner in the graveyard, and he could negate any attack and remove himself from play, further protecting himself. From there, Daisuke kept dumping Tuners into the Graveyard to power up his Red Nova Dragon, as well as set some Trap Cards to protect him. He was a really powerful monster.

"That's good enough.", Yusuke said to us, clapping his hands for us to stop. By that time, I had my Divine Dragon at 4500 Attack and Daisuke had this Red Nova Dragon at 6000.

"How'd I do?", Daisuke asked him.

"Adequate.", he replied, "Though you could have gotten Red Nova's attack much higher in a shorter amount of time."

"Pfft...you just don't want to give me a compliment.", Daisuke said to him, annoyed.

"I think you did really well, Daisuke.", I said to him, sympathetically,

"Thanks, Yuki. You did really well too.", he reciprocated.

"Yuki, you could have raised your Divine Dragon's attack higher during an actual duel. But, given the circumstances, you did well.", Yusuke said to me.

"Oh, so you can give her a compliment, but not me.", Daisuke complained.

"...Well done, Daisuke.", Yusuke said to him.

"Well...thanks.", Daisuke replied.

"I think you two will become good friends, eventually.", I said to them.

"You think so?", Daisuke asked, not really agreeing.

"Yeah, I do.", I confirmed.

"In any case, having strong monsters is well and good, but you also need to be in good physical form, so you'll be participating in the Rebellion P.T. Drills every day from today forth.", Yusuke told us.

"P.T.?", I asked.

"Physical Training.", Daisuke informed me. Oh, great...

* * *

 _At the same time..._

* * *

Okay...so. I was looking for this girl named Viviana. Kaiba wants me find her location, then give her a message if I happen to find her. She had blonde hair and blue eyes, and she might have been at the local hospital, according to Kaiba. I don't really know why he wants me to find her, but it seems really important to him. He gave me a picture of this woman, and in it she was standing with another man. Kaiba told me that if anyone asks how I know Viviana, I should say that she was a friend of my Great Great Great Grandfather, and the man in the picture is him. If she really did know my ancestor like that, she would have to be ancient. The oldest person alive, maybe. I wonder if that's why she's so important. She's a relic of the past.

Anyway, I did my hair, put on some nice clothes, and went up to the surface to find this woman. As long as I'm dressed nicely and I style my hair, it's hard to tell that I'm a rebel. It's not like Security has our faces logged in their system or anything. Most of the time they don't have time to do that. So, my only lead right now was the hospital, so I hurried up and made my way there. Luckily, the outpost I left from was near the station, which was only a short distance away from the hospital. I walked the rest of the way there, taking in all the scenery as I went.

When I arrived, I walked up to the front desk and asked the lady at the front,

"I'm here to see Viviana.", I told her.

"Last name?", she asked. Actually, I didn't even know her last name. Kaiba only told me her first name. So, I just decided to go with my last name.

"Foxenwood.", I told her. She looked on her computer for a minute, then replied,

"No, I don't see her in here."

"Really? No one named Viviana?", I asked her.

"How do you know Viviana?", another woman's voice asked. I looked over to my right, and standing there was an enchanting woman with silver hair.

"Oh...she's...a family friend. She was a friend of my Great Great Great Grandfather, and I heard she was still alive.", I lied, "Here." I handed her the picture that Kaiba gave me, hoping it would convince her that I really do know her.

"Wow...you really _must_ know her. I can't explain why else you would have this.", she said. Yes!

"I'd like to know where she is, if possible.", I said to the woman. She paused, thinking about it.

"Well...", she trailed off, "Since you're a family friend...I guess I can tell you." She walked over to the front desk, pulled off a piece of paper, then took a pen and wrote down something. When she handed it to me, I saw it was an address. It was over towards the shopping district.

"Thank you so much!", I said to the woman, "I'm gonna head straight there!" She laughed happily, saying,

"Alright, you do that. I'm sure she'll enjoy your company."

"Okay! Bye!", I called to her, running out the door. Now it was just a matter of getting to her house. The message I had to give her was "Giorno wants to meet in the park at Midnight", and Kaiba explained that it's some kind of code message. I just ran all the way there, enjoying the evening sunset and cool breeze on my skin. Once I got to the houses past the shopping district, I began looking for her address. I followed the houses all along, going through the small streets and alleys until I finally found it. I ran up to the doorstep, then rang the doorbell. It took a minute or two, but eventually the door opened to reveal a blonde haired, blue eyed woman. I gasped with happiness, saying,

"You're Viviana, right?"

"Y-yes. I am. Can I help you?", she asked.

"I came to give you a message. 'Giorno wants to meet in the park at midnight'.", I told her.

"He does?!", she exclaimed, "So...he really does want to see me again..." Her eyes began tearing up, and she tried to refrain from crying.

"Thank you, young lady.", Viviana said to me, "I'm very grateful."

"Don't worry about it!", I assured her, "No problem!"

"Would you like to come in for some tea?", she asked me. I wanted to take her up on it, but I realized I needed to go back and see Kaiba. I didn't really have time to dilly dally.

"Sorry, but I have somewhere I need to go.", I told her, "Maybe some other time."

"Of course. I won't hold you up any longer.", she accepted, "Thank you again."

"Sure thing!", I replied, making my way back to the street.


	18. You Are Who You Choose To Be

"So, how many pushups can you do?", a man named Tyke asked us, as a bunch of rebels around us were training. Tyke was in charge of training regimens, and was sort of like the local drill instructor. He made sure all the rebels were in fighting shape. Luckily, he was pretty nice. I thought he would be really scary and hardcore, since that was the image I got of drill instructors.

"I can do about forty. No big deal.", Daisuke bragged, being pretty physically inclined. He was definitely more brawn than brains, not to say that he was stupid.

"I can probably only do about ten.", I admitted, being the total opposite.

"Well, just do as many as you can. Then, try and do at least one more the next day.", he told us, "That way, you just keep improving. Though, you should do about ten, then rest for a short time, then go again. That way, you don't overwork yourself."

"Roger!", Daisuke agreed, happily. He was always happy to do something physical, whether it be sports or working out. Probably because that's what he's best at.

"I'll do my best.", I told Tyke.

"That's all I ask for.", he replied. So, Daisuke and I did as many pushups as we could, testing our physical aptitude. I was only about to do fifteen, but that was more than I thought I could. Daisuke on the other hand was able to pull off forty five. I won't lie, I was a bit envious of his strength. I've always had good grades, but I was never very athletic. I guess that was one thing I really admired about Daisuke. After pushups, we did a bunch of more exercises, testing ourselves to see just how far we could go in one training session. Turns out I could make it through the warm ups, but by the time all the pushups, situps, and pullups were over, I was down for the count.

After all those warm ups, the rebels go on to do some sports. Running, Basketball, Football, and even Swimming. They had all these different facilities for each sport, ready for use. They were kept really well preserved for being in a ruined city. Tyke explained that once a week, he has the rebels clean everything and keep up with the maintenance. He joins them, of course, but mostly directs them.

After I was done with warm ups, I went to go find Yusuke. They told me that he was talking with someone in the command center, and after talking to a few more people, I found my way there. I walked in past the curtain and caught the tail end of a conversation.

"...Quite impressive.", a man with a strange accent said.

"Naturally. Our monsters are practically real, after all. Energy rounds aren't able to pass through them.", Yusuke said to the man.

"Oh? Who do we have here?", the man asked, looking at me.

"Oh...sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt.", I apologized.

"We were just finishing up.", Yusuke said, "What did you need?"

"Well...I was thinking...since we didn't really get to do anything today-"

"Kaiba! Good news!", Shirley called out, running into the room, "Oh, hi Yuki!"

"Excuse me, Descartes.", Yusuke said to the man.

"Of course.", the man agreed.

"Come.", Yusuke said to us, leading us out of the Command Center and down the road, "I take it you made contact with Viviana."

"I did! I told her exactly what you said, and she agreed.", Shirley told him, "Here's the picture back."

"Thank you.", Yusuke said, taking it, "I knew I could count on you, Shirley. Did you enjoy your time on the surface?"

"I got to see a really pretty sunset as I was making my way around the town. One of these days, I really want to sit somewhere high up and just watch the sunset.", she told him.

"I'll make sure to give you some leave so you can do that.", Yusuke said.

"Really?", Shirley asked, filled with happiness.

"Yes. You've earned that much.", he told her.

"Thank you!", she agreed. Yusuke held the picture she gave him in front of him, looking it over. From what I could see, it looked like a picture of him and Viviana.

"Hey, Kaiba. The way the doctor talked about Viviana...is she really hundreds of years old like you implied?", Shirley asked.

"She is.", he agreed, "She's immortal. That's why I wanted to make contact with her. If she was on our side, our strength would greatly increase."

"How exactly did you know about her? And where did you get that picture?", Shirley asked him, "Is she related to you?"

Before Yusuke answered, we entered a really tall building that looked like it used to hold apartments. We were waiting for Yusuke to respond, but he didn't say anything. He just lead us into an elevator and activated it, taking us up and up.

"I'll explain shortly.", he told us. Shirley and I both looked at each other curiously. I already knew how he knew her, but I didn't know what he was going to tell her. I don't know what the message was that he gave her, either, but I knew I probably wouldn't get to know.

After a few seconds, we reached the top floor. The doors opened, and before us was a large penthouse. It was extremely well preserved. It must have been renovated recently, judging by how nice it looked.

"This is my penthouse.", Yusuke said, "I can explain things to you here."

"Why couldn't you tell us down there?", I asked him.

"Shirley, can I trust you with my identity?", Yusuke asked.

"You mean...you'll tell me who you are...?". she asked, completely floored.

"Only if you don't tell anyone else, and never call me by my real name around others.", he clarified.

"Of course! Of course I won't tell!", she exclaimed, excitedly.

"...Very well.", Yusuke agreed, grabbing his helmet and pulling it off. When he revealed his face, Shirley backed up slowly.

"You're...the guy in the picture...", she mumbled, awestruck, "I thought he looked like Yusuke Tachibana...but...that explains it..."

"Yes.", he told her, "Like Viviana, I, too, am immortal. Originally I'm from Italy, but I took on the name of Yusuke Tachibana when I came to Japan. That's why I know so much about history. Why I have so much experience. Why I was unchanged from the time I met you until now." Shirley was paralyzed, as if unable to comprehend what she was being told. She put her hand on her head and closed her eyes, struggling to accept what she was hearing.

"I know it may be hard to accept, but that is the reality of the situation.", Yusuke said, "I believe I can trust you to keep it a secret from everyone else."

"...Yes...You can.", she agreed, looking up and trying to get a hold of herself, "It's just...a lot to take in."

"I understand.", he told her, "Something like this defies common sense. It wouldn't be easy for anyone to accept."

Even though he just made this revelation, I forgot to act surprised since I've known for a while now. Shirley looked over at me, saying,

"You've known all along, huh?"

"Well...Yeah...I'm sorry for lying to you.", I replied, sadly.

"It's alright...nobody is supposed to know who he is, after all.", she lamented, "So...what is your real name?"

"My name is Giorno Giodini.", he told her, "I was part of the resistance against the Dominion when they invaded Italy, my home country."

"You're Italian..." she repeated.

"Yes. So is Viviana. Her and I are childhood friends.", he told her.

"So...that's what you meant by that message...", she said, quietly. I looked over to Yusuke, then back to Shirley, not really sure what they were talking about.'

"Yuki.", Yusuke said, grabbing my attention.

"Y-yes?", I said, caught off guard.

"I need to borrow your deck for something later tonight.", he told me, "To be safe, you should probably stay underground tonight. They might be looking for you."

"Okay...", I said, not understanding why he needed my deck. He had his own, didn't he? Why did he need mine for tonight? And what was he doing tonight, anyway? I took my deck out of my Duel Disk and handed it to him, and in return, he handed me another deck.

"This one should do just fine. Look through the cards, learn the deck. You've seen me use it before, so try the strategies I've shown you.", he said. I looked through the cards, and I saw it was his Blue-Eyes deck. I was kind of shocked he would give me such an important thing, but he _did_ give me his Miracle deck, after all.

"Now, if you two will excuse me, I have some preparations I need to make for tonight.", he said, walking further into the penthouse. Shirley and I decided to leave, so we got back in the elevator and began descending. I glanced over at her to see her despondent face. She was obviously very upset at all this. Maybe it was because we've been lying to her this whole time, or maybe she felt like she was second place to me in Yusuke's heart. Either way, I rubbed his back gently.

"You okay?", I asked her.

"Yeah...it's just...he's never felt so far away before.", she admitted, "For a while...I thought maybe I had a chance. But...it doesn't look that way anymore."

Seeing her so depressed about this really tugged on my heart strings, even though I really liked Yusuke as well. At this point, I knew I probably had less of a chance than Shirley, so...I should root for her.

"Let me help you confess.", I told her, "Confess before someone else does."

"C-confess?! But...but...", she stuttered.

"I'll support you. I promise. You and me will work towards it. You'll definitely win his heart.", I assured her, without any real facts to back that statement up. I just wanted to give her some hope.

"You think I really have a chance? It seems like he likes you more than me.", Shirley argued.

"No, he sees me more like a little sister.", I told her, "He sees you as a woman."

"You really think so? I have a chance?", she asked further, becoming more hopeful.

"You do. I'll help you win him over, for sure.", I urged her.

"Oh, thank you, Yuki! You're the best little sister I could ask for! I love you so much!", she shouted, hugging me tightly as the evelator doors opened.

"Ahaha, I love you, too!", I said back, laughing happily and walking with her out of the elevator. Yeah...this was much better than trying to hopelessly chase after Yusuke. Helping someone else I really care about stay in the running. Maybe Yusuke still loves Viviana, but as long as they aren't together, Shirley still has a chance. I know Yusuke really cares for Shirley, so she must have some kind of chance.

Since we were on a happy note now, I decided to ask about that message she gave Viviana.

"Giorno wants to meet her in the park at midnight.", she told me, "I guess he wants to recruit her or something."

No, I don't think that's what he's going for. But, that may be part of it.

"Hm...", I hummed, thoughtfully.

"Thinking about following him?", Shirley asked.

"Well...not really, but maybe. I'm not really planning on it.", I said, "But I might want to go to back him up, just in case something hapens."

"So...when did Giorno tell you about his identity?", she asked me.

"Well...he actually goes to my school.", I told her, "Undercover, I guess."

"He does?!", she blurted.

"Yeah. I found out his identity by accident, really.", I admitted, "He didn't pull me aside and tell me like he did for you. It was all spur of the moment."

"Wow...so...I'm kind of special?", she asked.

"Mhm. Super special. You're the only person in the entire world that he chose to tell his identity to by choice.", I replied.

"That makes me so happy!", she exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air and cheering.

Seeing Shirley so happy always brought a warm fuzziness to my heart. Maybe it was because she seemed so innocent. It was like a child having fun. I don't know. But, Shirley and I spent the rest of the evening together. I called and let my Mom know I was staying at a friends to study tonight, so I was covered for staying underground. Daisuke met back up with me and I told him I was staying the night down here, so he reluctantly agreed to do the same.

"I can't have you being all alone down here", he said. That was just like him to worry about me. But, eventually 11:50 AM rolled around. I decided to go to the park and see if I could find Yusuke. I didn't know how things were going to go down, but I wanted to be there just in case something bad happened. And yes, that's the only reason. Shirley and Daisuke were already asleep so I snuck out the door and made my way back to the surface through one of the elevators. I made sure to bring my Duel Disk just in case I ran into Security, since curfew for students was 11 PM.

I made it to the shopping district, past the station, and eventually to the park. I didn't see them in the immediate area, so I began to look around. After looking for a few minutes, I found Viviana waiting. She was sitting in front of the fountain surrounded by trees, and a moment later, Yusuke arrived. So, I hid behind a tree to eavesdrop. I know I shouldn't have, but I was curious.

"Hey.", Viviana called.

"Hey, there.", Yusuke said, "I'm glad you came."

"I was debating it...I mean...what now? What about us?", Viviana asked, "I tried to kill you, after all..."

"It would take more than that for me to hate you.", he responded. He held his hand out to her, then continued.

"Come with me. We'll finish the fight we started all those years ago. We'll live in a world where Duel Monsters can bring smiles to everyone.", he offered.

"Don't you see?", Viviana asked him, "Your Rebellion is tearing the peace in this world apart. Perhaps the Dominion isn't right in the way they do things, but they aren't worth causing so much collateral damage to stop!"

"Don't you remember how they marched on our homeland? Killed our comrades and destroyed Italy? Doesn't that mean anything to you?", he asked her.

"It makes me angry. I don't think they justified it at all...but...I'm so tired of fighting. I just want all the fighting to stop. I don't want to be a part of it anymore, and I don't want others to get hurt while fighting against each other. I don't want you to get hurt, either.", she told him.

"But, you're willing to fight for the Dominion?", he pressed.

"It's not that I _want_ to fight for them. I just want to keep the peace. I don't want any more fighting.", she explained.

"Well...I guess we'll just have to resolve this the way we always resolved our disagreements.", Yusuke said, activating his Duel Disk.

"A duel, is that right?", she asked him.

"If you win, I'll stop all this fighting. I'll resign to a peaceful life with you in the shadow of the Dominion.", he bargained.

"And if I you win, I have to join your Rebellion?", she asked.

"No. If I win, you have to exclude yourself from this war. Live a peaceful life away from it all, and wait for me to come back to you. Then, we can spend an eternity together.", he replied. She laughed lightly at that, shaking her head side to side.

"You're so unpredictable...Alright.", she agreed, "I accept your terms."

"I have my Miracle deck with me. I thought this is how our interaction would go down, so I brought it just in case.", he said.

"I don't have my old deck anymore, but I do have a very powerful one right here. Are you ready?", she asked.

"Of course. I won't go easy on you, though.", he added.

"Naturally, neither will I.", she said, smiling. I guess this was it. All I could do was hope for Yusuke to win. They both parted, giving some space for their monsters, then began the duel.

"Duel!", they called.


	19. Defeated

**A/N: Due to a change in living circumstances, I'm not able to post as frequently as I want to. I won't bore you with the details, but I'm working about 14 hour days with very little spare time. As a result, the chapters will be released twice, to three times a week for the foreseeable future, but they will be substantially longer. I apologize for the change in schedule, but I'd rather cut back on the frequence of the chapters than take a hiatus until things become more manageable.**

* * *

I guess...they still love each other. It looks like Shirley and I really are out of the picture. But...they were together their whole lives, it seems. They loved each other enough to go to war together, so I doubt anything could really come between them at this point. Something like this...a love like this...is something I longed for.

"Just like old times, isn't it?", Vivana reminisced.

"Yeah.", Yusuke agreed, "Just like old times. Better times."

"Would you like to take the first turn?", she asked him.

"Ladies first.", he replied.

"Why, thank you.", she accepted, drawing five cards and looking at her hand. Yusuke drew five cards as well, looking at his. They both got a determined look on their face, ready to battle with all they had. Maybe there were lovers, but the stakes were high for both of them. Neither of them were going to go down without a fight. At first I thought Yusuke wanted her to join the Rebellion, but I guess after she made it clear she didn't want to fight anymore, he didn't want to force her. That was just the kind of person he was. Always looking out for those he cared about.

I pulled out my Duel Disk and held it up towards them. I wouldn't be able to read their effects and see their monster's stats without it. I wasn't sure if I needed to be in the actual duel to see it, but I was going to try.

"I Summon 'Tragic HERO - Shu'.", she said, placing a monster on the field.

"Level 3 - 800 ATK", it read. So the Duel Disk _did_ work. Shu was a young man in a long black coat, wearing a red scarf. Other than that, he had no weapon or anything, and didn't look very intimidating. That was a pretty strange opening move, though. But, as always, most good duelists don't make a move like that without some kind of plan.

"Next, I'll use the monster in my hand's effect to Special Summon him by banishing a Tragic HERO from my field.", she explained, banishing her monster, "I Special Summon 'Tragic HERO - Gurren' from my hand."

"Level 6 - 2600 ATK" Gurren was a large, metal man that was completely red and black, carrying a large, black, zig zagged sword.

"Now, by using Gurren's effect, I can Special Summon a monster from my Graveyard, or one that was banished this turn by a card effect. I choose Shu. Return, once more.", she called, Special Summoning him to the field, "Now, I'll take my Tragic HERO - Shu and tune him with my Tragic HERO - Gurren!"

So, Shu turned into small orbs of light, then flew up into the air with Gurren. Rings of green light wrapped around Gurren, turning him into wireframe, then the orbs of light from Shu combined with him, creating a ray of light and beginning a new summon.

"Tragic warrior, timeless is your tale. Rise again, and lend me your strength in repentance!", she called, "Synchro Evocazione! Venire! Level Nine! 'Tragic HERO - Oedipus'!" With that, she Summoned a large, ancient-looking warrior to the field.

"Level 9 - 3200 ATK"

"Next, I'll activate his effect.", she said, continuing her turn, "I reveal the top three cards on my deck and Special Summon any Tragic HERO monsters I reveal, then I shuffle the other cards back into the deck. However, Oedipus's attack is halved permanently."

"Level 9 - ATK 1600", his attack decreased.

She turned over the top three cards, one at a time. Unfortunately for Yusuke, two of them were Tragic Heroes.

"I Special Summon 'Tragic HERO - Scorned Miko' and 'Tragic HERO - Evangile'!", she announced.

"Level 4 - 800 ATK"  
"Level 4 - 2000 DEF"

Scorned Miko was a woman in white and red robes, carrying a glowing bow in her hand, and Evangile was a man wearing purple and green armor, carrying a large shield.

"I'll now take these two monsters and Overlay them!", she called out, her monsters becoming rays of light and flying into the galactic portal. A blast of light shot out from the center, and another monster appeared.

"Banished Prince, betrayed by your country, come forth and deliver righteous retribution to my enemies!", she chanted, "Evocazione Xyz! Venire! Rank Four! 'Tragic HERO - Infernal Prince'!"

"Rank 4 - 2300 ATK"

"Finally, I'll set one card and end my turn.", she finished. Geez. That was an even crazier opening move than when she fought _me,_ and I thought she was giving me her all from the start...

"My turn. Draw.", Yusuke said, keeping his cool. He glanced at his hand once more, then began.

"I Summon 'Miracle Maiden - Hikari' in Attack Position.", he told her.

"Level 2 - 500 ATK"

"Then, I'll Activate Full-Force Strike to target Hikari.", he continued, "When Hikari is on my field and gets targeted by a card effect, I can Special Summon a Miracle Monster from my hand. I choose Miracle Dragon." Once again, the mighty dragon appeared on the field.

"Level 8 - 2500 ATK"

"Next, I'll tune my Miracle Maiden - Hikari with my Miracle Dragon.", he announced. Just like with her Oedipus, his materials flew up into the air and combined.

"Mythical Beast, ruler of the sky; Appear now and strike down your foes with great vengeance and furious anger!", he chanted, "Synchro Summon! Come forth! Level Ten! Miracle Beast - Ziz!"

"Level 10 - 3600 ATK" This beast was a gigantic griffin-looking monster. It had the body of a lion, and the head and wings of an eagle. It was extremely intimidating, but beautiful at the same time.

"Now, Ziz, attack her Oedipus! Vengeful Hail Storm!", he called out. Ziz flew up into the air, then spread his wings and covered the sun, blocking out the light. A moment later, thousands of feathers shot down at her monster.

"I activate Heroic Sacrifice!", Viviana countered, "I negate your attack and tribute one of my monsters, then deal direct damage equal to half the tributed monster's attack! I'll tribute Infernal Prince!"

Her monster was destroyed, but a barrier erected and negated the attack, then it fired a blast directly at Yusuke, barely missing him and dealing 1150 Damage.

"LP - 2850", his Life Points read.

"Hm...I guess I shouldn't expect any less from you.", Yusuke said, smiling a bit, "This will be a difficult battle."

"You're the only person I ever lost to.", she said to him, "I have a feeling this will be a Duel to remember."

"You're also the only person I've ever lost to, so I'm sure it will.", he agreed, "I'll set two cards and end my turn."

"The effect of my Infernal Prince activates at this time. If he was sent to the Graveyard by my own card effect, he's Special Summoned during the End Phase." So, she got her Infernal Prince back. This time, he didn't have any Xyz Materials, though. We never got to see what his ability was.

"My turn. Draw!", Viviana exclaimed, "First, I'll activate Fateful Reunion. Fitting, don't you think?"

"Indeed.", Yusuke agreed.

"By discarding one Tragic HERO from my hand, I can Special Summon another from the Graveyard. I'll discard 'Tragic HERO - Eddard' and choose Gurren.", she explained, summoning the warrior to the field again, "I use Gurren's effect once more to Special Summon Eddard from the Graveyard."

"Level 4 - 1200 ATK"

"Now, I use Eddard's effect to reduce Oedipus's level by three, making him level six. That way, I can take him and my Gurren and overlay them." The galactic portal appeared once more, her monsters flying into it.

"Beautiful maiden, silent and elegant. Come forth and shine your grace upon the battlefield.", Viviana said, as if admiring her, "Evocazione Xyz! Venire! Rank Six! 'Tragic HERO - Shizune'!"

"Rank 6 - 2800 ATK"

"I use Shizune's effect. Once per turn, I can detach an Xyz Material, then have her gain five hundred attack for every Tragic HERO attached to her and on my field until the End Phase!"

"Rank 6 - 4800 ATK"

"Shizune! Attack his Miracle Beast! Divine Retribution!", Viviana ordered. Shizune put her hands together and began to pray, and moments later, clouds appeared above Ziz.

"I activate Scrap Iron Scarecrow.", Yusuke replied, his card flipping up "I can negate your attack, then flip it back face down."

Just then, a lightning bolt came from the sky, but it didn't strike Ziz. Instead, it struck the scarecrow that was on his field, negating the attack. The scarecrow simply rustled and shook side to side, but wasn't destroyed. Then, the card flipped back down and the scarecrow disappeared.

"Then I'll use her other effect. Once per turn, I can detach another Xyz Material to attack again.", Vivana ordered. Once again, the lightning bolt came down, but this time it pierced right through Ziz, causing him to explode and sending a shockwave that damaged Yusuke.

"LP - 2150", his Life Points said, after he took the Battle Damage.

"Now I attack directly with Infernal Prince!", she ordered. It looked like the game was over, but Yusuke had another trick up his sleeve.

"I use Ziz's effect in the Graveyard. When I'm attacked directly when he is in my Graveyard, I can reduce the damage by one hundred for every Miracle Monster in my Graveyard, then end the battle phase after that attack.

"But you still take two thousand damage!", she replied. Her Infernal Prince pulled his hands behind him, gathering fire between his palms, then fired a blast at Yusuke, doing 2000 direct damage.

"LP - 150"

"Since my Battle Phase is over, I'll set one card and end my turn. Now Shizune's attack returns to normal.", she told him, "It's over next turn. But, you put up a good fight."

"Not yet. My trap card triggers during the End Phase. Miraculous Rebirth.", he told her, "When a Miracle Monster I controlled was destroyed by battle, and I took more than two thousand damage this turn, I can Special Summon the destroyed monster, and have him gain one thousand attack. Return, Miracle Beast - Ziz."

From his Graveyard was a blast of light, then Ziz descended from the sky again.

"Level 10 - 4600 ATK"

"What?!", Viviana exclaimed.

"Now, it's my turn.", he replied, "Draw!" After glancing at his cards for only a moment, he began his counter attack.

"First, I activate Battle Waltz, and target my Ziz. Now, I control a Waltz Token with the same stats as Ziz.", he told her, "And I'll add both the Waltz Token and Ziz to the Reinforcement Zone." He was going to Rebellion Summon? With the last card in his hand? Or from his deck? It looked like it was from his deck, since it ejected a card that he grabbed from it.

"Rebellion Summon! Level Twelve! Fury-Eyes Omega Rebellion Dragon!", he called. His monster and token flew up into the sky, then crashed down onto the ground, causing it to crack again. What started as a small crack turned into a huge fissure, and from it came a giant, five headed dragon with four wings and a large, spiked tail. It was pure black with golden accents and glowing red eyes. It was really horrifying. I would not want to be staring this thing down.

"Level 12 - 5000 ATK"

"Five thousand?!", Viviana exclaimed.

"When Fury-Eyes is Rebellion Summoned, he destroys every monster on your field, and deals five hundred damage for each one destroyed.", Yusuke told her. Fury-Eyes stamped hard on the ground, shaking it intensely and destroying both of her monsters, the shock wave hitting her and doing 1000 Damage.

"LP - 3000"

"Next, I'll use my Trap Card, Rebellious Comeback.", he ordered, "I target one monster in my Reinforcement Zone, then gain Life Points equal to it's attack. I choose Ziz!" And just like that, his Life Points raised by 4600

"LP - 4750"

"Now, Fury-Eyes, attack her directly and finish this!", he called, "Omega Fury Burst!"

Fury-Eyes spread his wings out wide, energy charging into them from the air around them, then drew all the power to his five mouths.

"I activate my Trap, Tragic Endurance! This turn, I reduce all Battle Damage by three hundred for every Tragic Hero in my Graveyard!", she defended.

So, Fury-Eyes unleashed his devastating attack right in front of her, a large, blast blast of energy. Thanks to her Trap Card, her Battle Damage was reduced by 2400, but she still took 2600 damage, leaving her with 400 Life Points. Yusuke now had over 4000 more Life Points than her. This battle was intense. They kept dealing huge blows to each other, going back and forth between winning and losing.

"It seems the tide has turned.", Yusuke said to her, "Your next draw will decide the duel." Viviana laughed softly, saying,

"Just like Yuki..."

"It all hangs on this, Viviana. I end my turn.", he told her.

"Alright...draw!", she called. She put the card in front of her face, then changed her expression from serious to relieved. She must have drawn something good.

"I activate 'Last Line of Defense'.", she said, "With this, I can Special Summon as many HERO monsters as possible from my Graveyard in face-up Defense Position, but their effects are negated and they can't change their battle positions. Lastly, after I use this card, I have to skip immediately to my End Phase, but at least I will survive." Yusuke smiled at that, happy that she was able to keep going.

"I'm glad you're not giving up. You're still the headstrong girl I fell in love with.", he said, sweetly. And there was that pain my chest again. That aching, longing pain. It truly hurt.

"You know me. If I go down, I go down swinging.", she laughed, softly, "Now, I Special Summon Tragic HERO Gurren, Oedipus, Shizune, Infernal Prince, and Evangile in Defense Position."

"Level 6 - 2200 DEF"  
"Level 9 - 3000 DEF  
"Rank 6 - 2800 DEF"  
"Rank 4 - 2500 DEF"  
"Level 4 - 2000 DEF"

"Now, I end my turn.", she finished.

"Good. My turn.", Yusuke said, drawing, "I activate Miraculous Recovery. By targeting and banishing one monster in my Graveyard, I can draw two cards, and I choose Hikari. But, since she was targeted in the Graveyard, her effect triggers."

"In the Graveyard?", Viviana asked.

"Yes. When she's in the Graveyard and is targeted by an effect, I can Special Summon one Miracle Monster from my Graveyard, so I Special Summon Miracle Dragon.", he explained, Miracle Dragon returning to his field, "Now Hikari is banished and I draw two cards." It looks like things were turning even more in his favor now. He had two cards in his hand, and Viviana had none. It was possible that whatever was in his hand could end the game.

"I activate 'One Day of Peace'. We both draw one card, and neither of us take damage until your next turn. But I can't pierce your defense anyway, so it doesn't matter.", he told her, both of them drawing a card, "Now, I'll attack Oedipus with my Fury-Eyes."

Fury-Eyes charged up that blast again, then fired straight down at Oedipus, destroying him completely.

"And I'll attack your Gurren with Miracle Dragon.", he ordered, Miracle Dragon shooting his feathers and destroying Gurren, "Then, I'll set two cards and end my turn."

"My turn. Draw.", she said, taking on a more calm demeanor, "I activate Advanced Fusion."

"Advanced Fusion? I've never heard of that card before.", Yusuke replied, puzzled.

"Neither have I. I assumed it was a newly produced card.", Viviana commented.

"Newly produced...? So...they have access to new cards as well...", Yusuke mumbled.

"What was that?", Viviana asked.

"Nothing. Continue.", he responded.

"Right...with Advanced Fusion, I can send Fusion Materials to the Graveyard and Fusion Summon a Fusion Monster that normally requires a Contact Fusion. So, I send Shizune, Evangile, and Infernal Prince to the Graveyard, for a Fusion Summon."

All three of her remaining monsters flew up towards the blue and red portal, spinning around and forming into a new creature.

"Tormented Knight, cursed by fate. Arise, and strike back at your enemies!", she announced, "Evocazione Fusione! Level Twelve! 'Tragic HERO - Corrupted Knight, Kiritsugu'!"

"Level 12 - 3500 ATK"

Kiritsugu was a young man in a long coat, wielding a long, glowing sword.

"Now, I'll activate Upstart Goblin to grant you one thousand Life Points and allow me to draw one card.", she said, drawing.

"LP - 5750", Yusuke's Life Points increased.

"Good. Then, I'll activate Heroic Reprise. This lets me draw one card for every two HERO monsters in my Graveyard, and lets you draw one for every four. I have eight in my Graveyard at this moment."

So, Viviana drew four cards and Yusuke drew two.

"Alright...now I'll use Tragic Keepsake to banish one Tragic HERO monster in my Graveyard and give one monster I control the banished monster's effect until the End Phase.", she explained, "I'll banish my Gurren to give Kiritsugu his effect, and I'll use it to Special Summon Tragic HERO - Oedipus once again."

Again, Oedipus appeared. He just didn't want to stay down. This was the third time she has summoned him, if I remember correctly.

"Level 9 - 3200 ATK"

"Next, I'll use Oedipus's effect again.", she said, beginning to reveal cards from her deck. Luckily, she only revealed one this time.

"I Special Summon 'Tragic HERO - Lucy'."

"Level 2 - 400 ATK"

A little girl with red hair appeared, holding a teddy bear. She looked really weak and fragile, almost like a hand crafted doll. Viviana put her in Attack Position, so she probably wouldn't on the field for long.

"Using Lucy's effect, I can tribute her and another monster on my field, then destroy a monster you control with attack equal to or less than their original combined attack. I choose your Miracle Dragon."

"I'll counter with Ziz's Reinforcement Effect. Once per turn, I can negate the destruction of a monster I control.", Yusuke replied, negating the effect. Unfortunately for Viviana, her monsters were still destroyed. She looked surprised, not expecting him to use a Reinforcement effect. Honestly when the monsters are in the Reinforcement Zone, it's easy to forget their on the field at all, since they don't appear to be there.

"Alright, but, because I used Advanced Fusion to summon him, my Kiritsugu can't be destroyed by battle, and I take no damage from battles with him. That means you can only destroy him with card effects.", she told him, "And I'll activate Kiritsugu's effect: If his attack is less than the attack of your strongest monster, he can attack directly."

"Impressive.", Yusuke said, not sounding surprised. It definitely wouldn't kill him, but it would be over next turn.

"Now! Kiritsugu! Blade of Fate!", she called.

"I activate Scrap Iron Scarecrow.", Yusuke replied, her monster flying up and striking the metal dummy.

"I knew you'd do that. I activate Reckless Struggle!", she told him, "If my attack was negated, I can Equip this to my monster during the Battle Phase. By paying one thousand Life Points, I can attack once more during my Battle Phase."

"Hm...I didn't expect that...", Yusuke said, honestly surprised.

"Once Again, Kiritsugu!"

"I'll activate my face down.", Yusuke replied, "Instant Reinforcements. This allows me to add a monster on my field to my Reinforcement Zone, and I choose my Fury-Eyes."

"That means-", Viviana stopped.

"You can't attack directly.", Yusuke finished for her.

"Fine. Then I can still attack your Miracle Dragon.", she replied, ordering her Kiritsugu. He flew straight at Miracle Dragon, slashing him in half and doing 1000 damage to Yusuke.

"LP - 3750"

"I'll set one card and end my turn.", Viviana finished.

"Then it's my turn.", Yusuke replied, "Draw." He took one card from his hand and looked it over thoroughly, deciding whether to activate it or not, but ultimately going for it.

"I use the effect of my 'Miracle Sage - Gendo' from my hand. By discarding him and banishing an effect monster from my Graveyard, I can Special Summon a Level 8 or lower Miracle Monster from my deck. I banish my Miracle Dragon then...", he said, getting a card from his deck, "I'll Special Summon Miracle Rebellion Dragon."

"Level 8 - 3000 ATK"

A long, serpent like Dragon appeared, swirling around in the sky and hovering over Yusuke like a guardian.

"Next, I'll activate 'Rebellion Behind Enemy Lines'.", he said, activating a Field Spell, "And I'll use my Miracle Rebellion Dragon's effect. I can deal one hundred points of direct damage for every level in my Reinforcement Zone. Currently there are thirty-two. Meaning I'll wipe out your Life Points. So, go! Sparking Rebellion!"

His Rebellion Dragon roared loudly, calling a large storm overhead, then drew in the lightning from the clouds around him, preparing to attack.

"Not this time. I use the effect of my Shizune in the Graveyard. By banishing her, I can gain Life Points equal to any effect damage I would take this turn."

Yusuke's dragon fired a large blast of lightning at her, but her Shizune appeared from the Graveyard and blocked the blast, absorbing it completely.

"LP - 5200", her Life Points read. Now Viviana was in the lead again. This battle really was going back and forth. I had no idea who was going to win anymore. Both of them always had something up their sleeve, I could never tell which way the duel was going.

"Fine.", Yusuke said, smiling for some reason, "I'll set one card and end my turn."

"What's that smile for?", she asked him.

"Nothing. This just brings back memories.", he told her, "I forgot what it's like to have to be on my toes like this throughout the entire duel." She smiled right back at him.

"I agree.", she said, "I'm trying as hard as I can right now. It's exhilarating."

"Even if I don't win this, I'm glad I got to duel with you again like this.", Yusuke told her, "Even when we go on to live a peaceful life, I hope Duel Monsters will stay a part of it."

"Of course it will.", she told him, "Duel Monsters is a precious part of our lives. Nothing will ever change that."

"Well then, may the best duelist win.", Yusuke finished.

"Right.", she agreed, "I draw."

The way they were talking to each other...each time they said such sweet things, I felt a pain in my chest. I felt like I just wanted to leave, but I wouldn't be able to rest easy without knowing the result. If Viviana wins, this whole Rebellion is over. I wanted to know how this was going to turn out, even though it was so painful.

"First, I'll activate Raigeki from my hand.", she told him.

"I'll negate the effect with Ziz again.", Yusuke said. A bolt of lightning came down to strike his Rebellion Dragon, but it was blocked by a bright force field.

"Good. I was counting on that.", she replied, "Now, I'll attack your dragon with Kiritsugu!"

"I activate my face down, 'Skirmish'.", he told her, his card flipping up, "If I have 'Rebellion Behind Enemy Lines' active on the field, I can destroy one card you control. I'll destroy your Kiritsugu."

From his trap card came a flurry of bullets, all flying at Kiritsugu.

"I activate Tragic Resistance!", she replied, activating a Quick Play Spell from her hand, "This prevents Kiritsugu from being destroyed by card effects this turn!"

Kiritsugu held his sword in front of him, doing his best to block the bullets. They hit him relentlessly, but he endured.

"Kiritsugu, continue your attack!", she ordered. With that, his Miracle Rebellion Dragon was destroyed, and he took 500 Damage.

"LP - 3250"

"Now, I'll pay one thousand Life Points to attack again! Go, Kiritsugu! Blade of Fate!"

With that, her Kiritsugu flew straight at Yusuke, looking as if he were about to impale him. Luckily, he stopped right before impact, sending a shockwave of air that took Yusuke's Life Points down to 250.

"I activate Inferno Tempest.", Yusuke said, after he recovered from the shockwave, "When I receive three thousand or more damage from one attack, I can banish all the cards in both our Graveyards and decks."

"You what...?", Viviana asked, confused. I was just as confused. If you can't draw when the game dictates you need to draw, you lose.

"But, all I have to do is end my turn, and I win.", she said to him.

"I know.", he told her, "We've had a good duel. But, it's time to finish it. I've had enough fighting for the day."

She smiled, removing her deck and graveyard from play and saying,

"Then I have one more gift for you, just like always. I activate Gift Card, granting you three thousand Life Points. My final gift."

"Sorry...but I'll have to decline that gift.", he told her.

"What?", she asked.

"I activate Dark Bribe.", he said, "I negate the activation...and you draw one card."

She gasped, realizing what just occurred. Because of the card effect, she was forced to draw a card...but her deck was empty. She...she lost! Yusuke won!

"You...knew I would do that, didn't you?", she asked, sighing and smiling, "You counted on me doing what I always did before I won..."

"Sorry.", he apologized, "I hate to play on your kindness like that, but this wasn't a duel that was just for fun. I wanted to win."

"No...I'm not hurt. You should always do whatever is necessary to win, especially if it's that important to you.", she assured him, holding her Duel Disk down to her side. She smiled at him, then slowly walked over, holding her arms out, asking for an embrace. Yusuke happily obliged, meeting her and embracing her back. It felt horrible, watching this. I couldn't stand it anymore. Just as I was about to look away, I saw Viviana's hand on the back of his head begin to glow.

"Viviana what-!", Yusuke said, freezing in place.

"I'm sorry I couldn't keep my word...but...you're too important for me to let this go.", she told him.

What...was she doing? I thought she said that she would resign if he won...!

"Forget about your rebellion. You and me...we've always been together. Forget about the war all those years ago, and all the pain you went through. It's always been us, together, happily. And we'll always be together, won't we?", she said, as if casting a spell.

"...Yes...always...", he repeated, sounding like a zombie.

"We've always been together, haven't we?", she asked.

"Always...", he agreed.

"And what about your rebellion?", she continued.

"Re...bellion...? What...rebellion?", he asked. With that, she removed her hand and said,

"It's nothing. I was just babbling." After that, Yusuke shrunk down a bit and put his hand on his head. He shook it off, then asked her,

"Viviana...? What...what are we doing here...?"

"We were out for a walk. You tripped and hit your head, though. Are you alright?", she asked back.

"Yeah...I'm fine.", he agreed, "I don't remember falling, though."

"You hit your head pretty hard.", she replied, laughing slightly, "You're alright now, though."

"Yeah...are we heading home now?", he asked.

"Mhm.", she agreed. With that, I realized what she did. She said before that she had the ability to read and alter memories. So...she just rewrote his memories to forget about everything. She tricked him. Made him think she was just giving him a hug...then double crossed him like that. I...I couldn't stand for that. I quickly jumped out.

"Viviana! What did you do?!", I barked. Yusuke looked at me, completely shocked and confused.

"Viviana...do you know this girl?", he asked.

"Yusuke...you...don't remember me...?", I asked, terror coming over me.

"Yusuke...?", he mumbled, "I think you have me confused with someone else."

"Yusuke...", I murmured, tears coming to my eyes. He...he forgot me. He completely forgot about me...about everyone...Viviana...she completely changed him.

"Giorno, how about you go on ahead? I need to talk to her alone.", Viviana said to him.

"Right. I hope you two can work out whatever the problem is.", he commented, "What was your name again?"

"It's...Yuki.", I told him, sadly.

"Well...sorry I'm not the person you're looking for. But, maybe I'll see you around?", he suggested, happily.

"Yeah...", I agreed, fighting back tears. With that, he walked away, blissfully unaware of the betrayal that just happened to him.

"Viviana...how could you?", I asked her, "Don't you love him?"

"It's precisely because I love him that I can't let this go on.", she told me, "If he kept fighting this war...it would never end. More and more innocent people would die...so much destruction...and for what? What would they do if they wiped out the Dominion?"

"Everyone would be given back their individuality! They would be free!", I argued.

"Free?! From what?! They're already free! Everyone is safe and cared for in this world now! Do you have any idea what life was like before this?!", she spat, "There were people all over the world that died of hunger and disease, people without shelter and homes...so much death and loss..." I didn't really know how to respond. In truth, I had no idea how the world was before. I had no way to argue with her.

"Even if your Rebellion took over. Then what? You're going to run the entire world? Unite them in your Rebellion? How is that any different from the Dominion?", she asked. When she said that, Daisuke's words came back to me. That time...he asked me how what Yusuke was doing was different from the Dominion.

"Giorno...the reason he's fighting is because he's trying to fulfill a dream that died a long time ago. He's trying to change the past by building a future in its image, but the world is different now. The only way you can move is forward. The Dominion is doing just that, but your Rebellion is just a regurgitation of the past, set in their ways.", she continued. Everything she was saying...maybe it wasn't exactly true...but it was hard to argue. I had absolutely nothing I could say in my defense.

"How has the Dominion wronged you?", she asked me, "You've always lived under their protection, haven't you? Are you not satisfied with the way the world is? Everyone being protected and fed? Is that not good enough for you?"

"It's...not that...", I mumbled.

"Then why do you fight? What gives you such determination to struggle against the world that has taken care of you your whole life?", she pressed. Honestly...I didn't know. I was fighting...because Yusuke was fighting. Because I believed in Yusuke...I believed in the Rebellion. Other than that...I didn't really have a reason, I guess. The Dominion never wronged me...and they had taken care of me and my family for generations. Why...was I fighting against them...?

"You see now, don't you? How pointless and destructive this Rebellion is.", she replied, like a sword through my heart, "I can't let this go on anymore. If I have to force Giorno to forget about it with my powers...then I'll do it."

"Even if you take away his free will?", I asked, still not agreeing with her methods.

"And what would you do, then?", she barked, "Do you have a better solution?"

"...No...", I replied, sadly.

"Then until you do, you have no reason to argue.", she said, with finality, "Why don't you just stop this? Why don't you just give up this Rebellion and live peacefully? It's not too late. You and Giorno...you could be friends as normal citizens. You wouldn't have to hide and fight. You could live your lives normally!" She...she made so much sense. I just couldn't argue with her. I didn't want to give up on the Rebellion...but...she was right. She was absolutely right.

"I guess...I guess that makes sense.", I replied, not knowing what else to say. She sighed with relief.

"Then I won't need to fight you any further.", she said to me, "Stop this fighting, and you won't have any reason to hide anymore. You can go to school and enjoy your friendships like a normal girl, in this peaceful world."

"...right...", I agreed, softly.


	20. New Rebel Arc End - Memories Arc Start

As I lie there in my bed, I began thinking about everything that had happened just a couple hours ago. Yusuke...he was brainwashed by Viviana...that's what happened. How was this Rebellion supposed to go on without him? He was our leader. The one who started everything. He was the only person who could bring all those people together. The only person with that sort of leadership and commanding aura. But...if what Viviana said is true, about the struggle being useless and all that, then maybe...maybe it really is hopeless to keep going. Maybe the Rebellion falling apart won't be _that_ bad...

No. I can't think like that. Or...should I? This Rebellion...is it really as bad as Viviana says? Senseless destruction...like what happened at the station, right? And that battle that happened underground...so much destruction. But this Rebellion wasn't for nothing. It was to create a world where everyone can smile, and where Duel Monsters can bring happiness to the world again. A world with individuality, where you can be something more than just a Domino citizen. That's what we were fighting for, wasn't it?

But, then again...is it really worth it? Is such a huge fight really worth bringing Duel Monsters back? Is it worth bringing back all those different cultures? Even if we do...it won't be the same as the past. Everyone who is alive right now has always been a Domino. They don't know any better. If they were told what nationality they actually were...would they accept it? What if people didn't want to stop being a Domino? Would we just force them to bend to the changes? And if we topple the Dominion...what then? I'm not sure anyone of us knows how to run a country, let alone an empire. Would we really be able to hold the world together? How would we liberate them, and what would they do without Domino's guidance?

I think the most important question, though, is why this is all so important to me. Domino is my home. It's where I was born, where my parents were born, and where my grandparents were born. It has taken care of me my whole life. Why was I so eager to destroy it? Was I simply just going with the flow? Or was I so madly in love with Yusuke that I would follow him to the ends of the Earth? I didn't even know I was in love with him until recently. So...why, then? Why would I be willing to destroy my home country, even though I've never even known about my heritage until a few days ago?

Honestly...I don't even know. Maybe Viviana was right...maybe it would be better if I just lived my life as a normal citizen...I mean...the Dominion has never wronged me. They've never been unfair. I've been protected, fed, and housed because of them. My Mom has been able to hold a job because of them, and they're the people that pay her for all her work. Without them...what would happen to us? Would we really be better off? What would my Mom even say if she knew about this? Is this...is this really...something worth fighting for...?

"My my...what an unfortunate turn of events!", I heard a man's voice call out. I quickly looked over to my right to see a man in a suit and wearing a fedora sitting in the chair at my desk.

"Wh-Who...", I mumbled, in shock.

"Oh, I'm no one special. Just the person who gave Giorno and Viviana their powers.", he replied in a sarcastic tone, with a smirk.

"You...you are?", I asked, confused.

"Indeed! And I've come here to give you a special power as well!", he boasted. I was still in shock at the fact that a mysterious man somehow appeared right next to me without my noticing it. He definitely wasn't there when I came in. My window wasn't open, and I never saw anyone enter my room. It's like...he just appeared. From nothing...from nowhere...so all I could think to do was continue on with the conversation while I tried to comprehend everything that was happening.

"What kind of...special power?", I questioned further.

"Well, I thought quite hard about it, and I decided what I should give you...", he said, trailing off to add suspense, "The ability to negate any other ability." When he said that, a thought instantly came to mind.

"Indeed. You could use it to turn Giorno back to normal. You could erase Viviana's spell!", he continued, as if reading my thoughts. Even though that was the thought that came to mind, I was still doubting myself. I was still doubting this Rebellion and what we were fighting for. To me, the Dominion wasn't a bad thing, so I really had no reason to fight against it. Everyone in the Rebellion had some reason to fight. That's what Yusuke said. But...I didn't have a reason, other than the fact that Yusuke was doing it. I didn't really belong with them at all. Maybe I came from a Japanese family far down the line, but...I was born a Domino citizen. I was born...a Domino. Fighting against them...that's like betraying my own country. Was this...really something I should do?

"Having second thoughts about this Rebellion, huh?", the man asked, reading my thoughts again, somehow. How did he always know what I was thinking? I wasn't saying them out loud. I wasn't even making any certain face to signify what I was thinking. On top of that, how was he able to give me powers? Was he some kind of spirit or something? Or maybe...a god? If he really did give Yusuke and Viviana their powers, why would he give me the ability to cancel them?

"You know, the Dominion may take care of its citizens, but if you aren't a citizen, you don't get that kind of treatment.", he revealed, "If you have something they want, they'll take it from you eventually. They eat up everything they set their eyes on, and they blow through anything that tries to stop them."

"But...still...they do a lot of good, don't they?", I tried to argue, getting up and sitting at the edge of my bed.

"They do things any other government would do. With the kind of technology the world has today, any government could provide the kind of services Domino does. The only reason you think they're so great is because they're the only government capable of doing such things at the moment. They've crippled or taken over everything else.", he argued back. I paused again. So...the Dominion and Rebellion were equally destructive, but equally productive...who was I supposed to side with?

"Tell you what: I'll let you see the terrifying side of the Dominion for yourself. _Then_ you can decide what you want to do.", he offered.

"...Okay...but...how will you do that?", I asked him. In a flash, he disappeared from my chair and appeared right in front of me, placing his hand on my head and said,

"Just like this!", and a second later, my vision faded to black. I didn't feel any pain, so it wasn't like he hit me or something. I didn't even feel like I became unconscious. It was just like someone covered my eyes quickly. It didn't seem like it was dark for a long time, but I guess it always seems like that when you're unconscious, if I even was. As I began to become aware of my surroundings and my vision began to return to me, I realized I was on my stomach. I heard the sound of birds and a faint blowing of the wind, and felt soft grass beneath me with a warm heat on my back. When I opened my eyes, I saw I was lying down on a patch of long and soft grass. But, when I picked up my head, I saw I was in a large grassy field. There were buildings off to my left, not too far away, and to my right was a river. I noticed that my Duel Disk was attached to my arm, even though I took it off after I got home.

Was this all...some kind of dream? Where was I? Did that man in my room send me here, or is this just a dream I'm seeing because I'm unconscious?

"Sta bene?", I heard a familiar voice say, sounding like a question. When I rolled over and glanced forward to where the voice came from, I saw...Yusuke. And next to him was Viviana.

"Viviana! Yusuke! What are you guys doing here?", I asked.

"Inglese?", Viviana asked, looking over to Yusuke, "Americano?"

"You speak English?", Yusuke asked with a thick accent, looking at me. What was that supposed to mean? Why were they acting like they've never seen me before?

"English...yes.", I replied, "You...you don't know who I am?"

"No. This is the first time we've met.", he replied, "What is an American doing here?"

"Here? Where is here?", I asked him.

"Italy. Our homeland.", he replied. Italy...? That means...the Dominion hasn't taken over this place yet? And if Viviana and Yusuke don't recognize me...then...I was...sent to the past?

"So, what is an American doing here?", Yusuke continued.

"I'm...I'm not American. I'm Japanese.", I told him, trying to get a grip.

"Japanese? Japan was taken over by the Domino Dominion. You are a Domino citizen?", he asked for clarification.

"Well...technically, but I oppose the Dominion.", I told him.

"Why would a Domino citizen oppose the Dominion? That is treason, isn't it?"

"I guess...but...it's a long story. There is a Rebellion against the Dominion that I'm a part of."

"And why would you rebel against them? I understand they take quite good care of their citizens."

"Because they take away your individuality and nationality, and they want to eliminate Duel Monsters.", I told him.

"Eliminate Duel Monsters? They couldn't do such a thing.", Yusuke replied, not believing me.

"They've done it throughout their Dominion, and they'll do it here once they invade.", I tried to urge him.

"Invade Italy?!", Yusuke exclaimed, "How do you know they will do this?"

"Because...I'm from the future.", I told him honestly, not expecting him to believe me.

"I see...", he mumbled, stroking his chin.

"You...believe me?", I asked, curiously.

"You are not the first Time Traveler, Miss.", Viviana said to me, "There have even been people who have traveled across dimensions." I remembered Yusuke talking about an interdimensional war once...that must be what she was referring to.

"Across dimensions...", I murmured.

"Long ago, there were four different dimensions, and an interdimensional war between them. Eventually, they all combined into a single dimension, the one we're in now.", she revealed.

"So, you say that the Dominion will invade Italy. Are you sure?", Yusuke asked.

"Yes. And in the future I come from, Italy was defeated and absorbed into the Dominion."

"That's horrible!", Viviana exclaimed.

"Do you know when-", Yusuke was stopped by the sound of explosions in the distance. We all looked behind him, and we could see fires burning and hear the screams of civilians as explosions rang out.

"It's already happening...", he mumbled. He and Viviana looked at each other intently and nodded, then ran towards some of the houses in the distance. Probably to get their Duel Disks. This...this was the beginning of it all. The beginning of the war that started the Rebellion. I was looking around me, trying to see if that man that sent me here was around. I didn't know if this was all he wanted to show me, or if he wanted me to keep experiencing this. Was he going to send me further forward in time or something? Or was I supposed to follow Yusuke and Viviana? I didn't really know what else to do, so I quickly got up off the ground and ran after them. They were running pretty fast, but I was able to keep an eye on them as I followed them.

Eventually, they ran to a house right at the edge of the field. There were a few other houses around here, but they were a good distance away from that city. Leaving the door wide open, Viviana and Yusuke ran into the house. When I caught up, I quickly entered and saw that it must have been their house. They weren't anywhere in the front room, but immediately to my left, I saw a picture of Yusuke and Viviana as kids. They were standing together by a river, presumably the one near here. I was about to pick up the picture and examine it, but I heard Yusuke's voice.

"You have a Duel Disk...", he noted, coming around the corner, "You said you oppose the Dominion, correct?"

"Yes. I do.", I told him.

"Then will you aid us in our fight against them?", he asked. Without really thinking, I replied,

"Of course I will!". I guess that's always been my response when Yusuke wanted something from me. I've always been eager to help him. To be of use to him. To be needed by him. I guess...I've just wanted to be someone important to him all this time, whether it's a lover or not. Still...I still don't know why. I thought that maybe if I spent enough time with him...I'd figure it out. Since this was the past, maybe I would learn something if I lived through his past with him. If I knew more about him...maybe I would find out why I'm so attracted to him.

"I'll definitely help you."

"Good. We will need every ally we can get.", he said, actually smiling at me, "Viviana!"

"Sì!", she called out, running into the room with a Duel Disk now strapped to her arm.

"Andiamo!", he exclaimed, running out the door with his own Duel Disk, running towards the destruction. Viviana followed right behind him, and me behind her. But, as we were running, suddenly the colors in the world began to fade to gray, and Yusuke and Viviana slowed down, coming to a halt. It was like they were frozen in time or something. The entire world around me had halted. Not even a single blade of grass was moving.

"Well? What do you think of my little simulation?", that man's voice asked. Looking around, I didn't see him anywhere, but it was like his voice was coming from everywhere at once.

"This is...just a simulation?", I asked him.

"Well, this is how everything actually happened, but you're not _really_ in the past.", he explained, "Sending someone to the past would cause some _serious_ repercussions, you know."

"...Right.", I agreed, thinking about it for a moment. If you really did go into the past, anything you did would change so many things. If Yusuke met me in the past like this...it would forever change how the world in the future would be. I don't even want to think about that.

"I think I'll let you enjoy this for a while. Just see how things play out. I'm sure in due time, you'll come to understand the dark side of your beloved Dominion.", he added.

"You're not going to let me out?", I asked him.

"Not until I'm sure you get the message.", he replied, "Don't worry about it! You can't _actually_ get hurt in here! Time doesn't pass in the real world while you're in here, either, so it's not like your missing anything." I didn't really want to stay in here and watch this terrible event happen, but at the same time, I wanted to know what the Dominion was really like underneath their calm and protective facade. Also...I wanted to know more about Yusuke. So...

"...Alright. I'll keep going.", I said to him.

"Excellent! _Enjooooy_!", he called out, still using that mocking, sarcastic tone. With that, time began moving again. Viviana and Yusuke began to run slowly, picking up the pace more and more as color returned to the world, until everything was back to normal. I ran with them once more, passing through the large field and towards what looked like a large wall that surrounded the city.

"What is this city we're running to?", I asked them.

"In English, it is called Florence!", Viviana called back to me, looking over her shoulder. Florence...I've never even heard of such a place. I guess that figures, since I've never even heard of Italy before I met Yusuke. It was taking us quite a while to get there. We didn't have any kind of car or anything, so...wait...we had Duel Monsters. Duh. Realizing that it would be quicker on our monsters, I stopped running and pulled up my Duel Disk and deck and drew five cards. Apparently, I still had the Blue-Eyes deck that Yusuke gave me. In my hand, I had a Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon, Maiden With the Eyes of Blue, Sage with the Eyes of Blue, and Ancient Rules. So, I used the effect of Blue-Eyes Alternative to Special Summon him by revealing a Blue-Eyes in my hand. Instantly, I had a high powered monster on my field. I climbed onto his back, then tapped him on the back, ordering him to fly. He lifted off into the air, then glided over towards Yusuke and Viviana. When they noticed that I was doing, they looked surprised that I did that. Immediately after, they did the same thing. I guess they didn't think to use their monsters like this for this kind of thing. I saw Yusuke Summon Miracle Prime Dragon, and Viviana Summon some kind of sky blue dragon with clouds all around it. They both got onto them and took off into the sky, flying ahead of me and leading the way.

As we approached the city, we heard the sound of gunfire, explosions, screaming...horrible horrible sounds that you'd never want to hear in your life. Just as we were approaching the city wall, a large blast blew right through it, collapsing everything above it and releasing a large cloud of dust. We quickly strafed, dodging the falling debris and dust, then turned to our right and tried to go around all this destruction. We had no idea what was a safe approach and what wasn't. When we flew over the city itself, we saw the level of destruction they had caused. Fire everywhere, debris strewn about, entire buildings razed to the ground, and blood splattered across everything. There were bodies in the streets, all of them unarmed men and women. The Dominion...they really killed all these innocents...

At this moment, I felt a surge of energy inside me. A burning passion to destroy them for what they've done. I lost the sense that I was in a simulation, and just put forth all my anger into defeating this Dominion. I wanted to be a part of this war now. I wanted to protect these cities, even though I've never heard of them, in a time before my great grandparents were even born. This war and everyone involved had nothing to do with me anymore, besides Yusuke. Yet, I found myself committed to finishing the war in the Rebellion's favor.


	21. Mid-Chapter 2

"You are truly despicable, Vulpes.", a voice called out.

"Hm? What are you on about _now_?", Vulpes asked, exasperated, "Can't you see I'm enjoying my little game?"

"That is precisely the problem, Vulpes.", the voice replied.

"I don't follow...", Vulpes responded smugly.

"THE FACT THAT YOU MANIPULATE THAT INNOCENT GIRL BY SHOWING HER FALLACIOUS ILLUSIONS AND PLAYING ON HER FRAGILE EMOTIONS IS INEXCUSABLE.", a louder, more stern voice replied.

"What? Are you going to _do something_ about it?", Vulpes taunted.

"YOU KNOW THAT IF I COULD I WOULD, YOU MONSTER.", it spat.

"Well, if you can't do anything, then shut up and let me have my fun.", Vulpes ordered, "These humans are so amusing..."

" _Do you plan to toy with humans for all eternity?_ ", another, softer voice asked.

"Not necessarily.", Vulpes admitted, "Just until I get bored."

" **I have to wonder what caused you to become so sadistic.** ", yet another voice commented, " **You overthrew every other God in the Aetherium, yet you are still not satisfied. What more do you want?** "

"Hmhm, you truly are the God of Knowledge. Or...you were. Anyway, I just want to be entertained.", Vulpes replied with an evil grin, "Maybe once I'm finished playing with them, I'll go and conquer the human world as well."

" **Or...do you use them as pawns because you don't wish to face them yourself?** "

"Ahaha... _What was that_?!", Vulpes snapped, losing his composure.

" **You couldn't defeat Giorno, Viviana, or Yuki if you faced them at your own game directly. That is why you send them against each other. No matter who wins, you acquire a sense of accomplishment.** "

"Heheh...now..let's get one thing straight here...", Vulpes said, filled to the brim with rage, "There is _no_ way that I'd _ever_ be afraid of these mere _humans_!"

" **I never suggested you were afraid of them. Merely that you were incapable of defeating them.** " Vulpes gritted his teeth in rage. The God was right, but Vulpes didn't want to admit it. After shaking it off and sitting back down, Vulpes replied,

"Regardless of all that, I don't intend to end my game anytime soon. It doesn't matter what you say to me."

"...You are truly despicable, Vulpes.", the voice repeated.


	22. Rivals in Love - Furious Passion

"What can I help you with, Doctor?", I asked her. Early that day, Alexis had asked me to meet her at the hospital once again, and to bring my dueling equipment.

"Ah, there you are Viviana. We needed your assistance in testing a new defense against the Rebellion.", she replied. A new defense? What kind of defense?

"My assistance on a new defense? Is that why you requested I bring my Duel Disk and deck?", I wondered.

"Well, if you come with me, I can show you exactly what I mean.", she told me, walking through the double doors from the lobby and down the hall. I didn't know why they would be testing a new defense in this hospital. It didn't seem like they had enough room for me to summon any especially big monsters, and testing some kind of military defense against the Rebellion would be threatening to the patients, wouldn't it? We kept moving down the hall, but instead of walking through the double doors that lead to the recreation area and patient rooms, she led me to what appeared to be a maintanence elevator.

"This way.", she told me, leading me inside. I wasn't exactly sure about this, but she'd done enough for me to earn my trust, so I followed her without question. Once we both were inside the elevator, she pressed a button on a control panel and we began to descend.

"Where are we going?", I asked her, as we went further and further down.

"Our underground military base.", she told me. Underground military base? Under the hospital? Why would they have something so dangerous underneath a hospital? What if something were to happen down there, like some kind of explosion? It could level the entire hospital! But...if Alexis had a hand in it...I'm sure it wouldn't get out of hand. That's what I convinced myself, anyway.

"A military base...", I mumbled.

"Don't worry.", she said, placing a hand on my shoulder, "We don't experiment with anything that would threaten the patients."

"I see...", I replied, softly. It took us quite some time to reach the bottom, but when we did, the door wouldn't open. At first I thought we were stuck, but Alexis took some kind of card from her coat and put it in front of the control panel, making the door open. Before us was a large, pure white laboratory with bright lights. There were scientists all around, working on computers and machines that looked so advanced that I couldn't comprehend their purpose. Everything was a bit intimidating to me, but, I still followed Alexis through the area. The scientists around the room nodded at her and greeted her as we passed, while others stared at me, intrigued. That was...concerning. Was this the place where I was held and experimented on? Is this where Alexis rescued me from? I wasn't sure, but...I felt uneasy in here. Maybe it was because this really _was_ where I was held, and my subconscious is remembering the feeling of being trapped, or something along those lines.

Regardless of how I felt, I followed her across the whole lab until we reached what looked to be a blast door. Once again, Alexis showed her card to some sort of scanner and we were allowed in. The two doors make a large cranking sound, then slowly opened up. When we entered, it was another white room, but it was completely empty, devoid of any technology other than a large room up high, connected to the ground by a fortified staircase. I assumed this was some sort of test chamber, and the room above was an observation area. The walls looked like they were reinforced with some kind of metal, and the observation room that was higher up was heavily fortified. Though Alexis said they didn't experiment with anything that could threaten the patients...I wasn't so convinced anymore. Why would they need such fortifications if they weren't testing anything that was dangerous enough to damage the hospital?

"What exactly do you need me to do?", I asked her.

"The reason I had you bring your Duel Disk is because we need you to summon a power monster. Just go stand over at the red marker to your left. I'll go up to the observation deck and instruct you further. Can you do that for us?"

"Yes...I suppose.", I agreed, still unsure about everything that was happening. I didn't know what they needed a powerful monster for, but I trusted Alexis. So, I walked over to the marked spot, pulled up my Duel Disk, then drew five cards. Luckily, I drew just what I needed. I had Devoted Knight, Sayaka, Fallen King, and Advanced Fusion in my first hand. So, I activated Advanced Fusion to send Devoted Knight, Sayaka, and Fallen King to the Graveyard to Fusion Summon my Tragic HERO - Requiem.

"Level 10 - 3500 ATK"

It wasn't my most powerful monster, but it was definitely one of them. I was sure this would be fine for whatever they wanted to test. She said a defense, so maybe it was some kind of barrier. A minute later or so, Alexis was up in the observation area.

"Very good.", she complimented me from the loud speaker, "Now we just need you to wait there."

"Just wait here...?", I asked myself. What exactly was I supposed to be helping with by standing here?

"Deploy the Albedo.", I heard her say, more quietly. After that, I heard a loud buzzing sound, then witnessed the floor on the other side of the room open up and begin to lift something out of the ground. As it came up, it seemed to be something metal, but I couldn't see it so well since my Requiem was directly in front of me. When it fully arose, I looked around my Requiem to see what appeared to be a robot of some sort. Or maybe it was a suit of mechanical armor. I couldn't tell at the time. It was too small to be some kind of mecha, but it was too big to be a simple suit of armor or humanoid robot.

"Now, Viviana, we're going to put a protective field around you, so please stand still.", Alexis said.

"A protective field? Why do you need to-"

Before I could finish, a force field appeared around me. It was bright blue for a moment, but became transparent a moment later. Looking ahead, I saw the machine bend down into a pose, as if preparing to sprint. In a flash, it dashed straight towards me, but it was so fast that my eyes could barely track it. Like a bolt of lightning, it struck my Requiem and sent it flying in to the wall behind me. It didn't use any sort of weapon. It just...punched it. It had so much power in its fists alone. What in the world was this machine?

My Requiem was stunned for a moment, but pulled himself together shortly after, returning to my side once more.

"Viviana, we want you to order your Requiem to attack the Albedo.", Alexis said to me.

"But...", I mumbled, feeling less and less sure of this whole operation. She said they were testing out a new defense...but this wasn't a defense. This machine was a weapon. A weapon of war. I didn't want anyone to get hurt anymore...but...they were doing this to end the war. I suppose you can't end a war without casualties...but this weapon seemed like it could cause more destruction than necessary. Was this really all they could use to defeat Duel Monsters?

"Would you please?", Alexis asked again.

"Don't worry. There's no way your monster can even dent me.", I heard a voice come from the suit. I looked up quickly in shock, and it was then that I realized this was no machine or robot. It was a suit of armor, or maybe a wearable vehicle of some sort. There was a person inside of it, piloting it.

"There's a human inside! I can't attack it!", I shouted out.

"Don't worry, Viviana. That suit can't even be damaged by tank shells. Your monster won't be able to damage it. We just want to see how strong the attack is and gauge how much stronger the suit is compared to it.", Alexis assured me. But...he was still a human. An innocent human, as far as I knew. I was already torn about those rebels I had to murder back when they assaulted us...but...I still trusted Alexis. I didn't understand why Alexis wanted me to do something so cruel, yet trusting her guidance, I obliged.

"Requiem, attack him.", I said, with weak energy, "Hadronic Burst."

At that command, my Requiem aimed at the man and charged up it's blast until it was at max power, then unleashed it at the man in the armor. A firey red blast of pure energy engulfed him, and although I was trusting Alexis in that the suit was indestructible, everything went horribly wrong.

"Wh-What the?! The energy! It's too- Gah!", he shouted in pain. I froze in horror as I realized that the suit wasn't holding up. As soon as I was about to call off the attack, the man in the suit of armor in front of me was annihilated by the blast of my Requiem, torn apart molecule by molecule. Right...in front of me. For the sake of testing out a weapon of war...I just killed someone...I ended someone's life with my Duel Monster...again...for no reason...

I fell to my knees in horror and disgust. I've already taken the lives of soldiers in the past...but...this felt so different. I felt my stomach churn and my vision start to get blurry. My heart rate kept increasing, and my breathing got faster and shorter. I was panicking. A human being was just killed right in front of me, by my own hands. This was different from those rebels as well. Back then, I was pumped up with adrenaline and my mind was steeled for war...but I wasn't prepared for this.

"Viviana! Viviana hang in there!", I heard Alexis call, her voice getting fainter and fainter. Soon, my vision went complete black, and I lost all feeling in my body. I fell unconscious, and it wasn't until much later that my eyes opened once more, and I regained consciousness. Looking to my right, I saw Alexis sitting there as always, playing with a ball of some sort. I was in another hospital bed, but I wasn't hooked up to any machines.

"Alexis...", I said, quietly.

"I'm sorry, Viviana.", she told me, "I shouldn't have asked you to do something like that."

"I don't ever want to do something like that again.", I told her.

"Well...you aren't really employed by the Dominion, so you aren't really obligated to help us. I didn't know that would go so horribly wrong. We underestimated the powers of Duel Monsters. We've seen even more powerful monsters than the one you summoned, and yet yours was able to destroy our greatest Frame so far...", she lamented, "Roberts was prepared for the worst though...he died knowing that it was possible."

"Roberts was his name...", I mumbled, feeling worse than before.

"He was thrilled to be the first person to test the new Frame, and he was fully prepared for the consequences. I'm sure he would hold no grudge against you.", she replied, trying to make me feel better.

"Frame?", I asked.

"It's an electronic suit of armor that augments the abilities of a human. Some people call it Powered Armor. It enhances speed, strength, stamina, and can be equipped with built in weapons. We were planning to use it as a means to compete with Duel Monsters, so we wouldn't need to send you to do our dirty work...but...it looks like we need something more powerful. We might even need to go so far as to build Mobile Suits...", she explained.

"I just...I can't handle anymore murder. I spent years in Italy, murdering soldiers to defend my homeland, but now...I have no home. My home was taken and restructured. This is my home now...but everyone I knew...every _thing_ I knew...It's all gone. I don't want to fight...I just don't want to fight anymore.", I confessed.

"Murder, huh?", she asked, noticing my specific phrasing.

"...I just...", I muttered.

"It's alright. I understand.", she said, "You know, it's far too common that enemy deaths are seen as accomplishments and collateral damage. But, the truth is, regardless of who they are, they have families and loved ones. They have lives beyond the war, and things they need to do in their lives. No matter who it is, taking another human's life is murder. It's a shame that soldiers seem to forget that. I think it's good that you think of it that way."

"...It makes me glad that you understand.", I said to her, "So...is it alright? That I stop fighting?"

"Sure.", she agreed with a smile, "Besides, we have enough data to still improve now. We won't force you to do this again."

"You're going to continue development?", I asked.

"Of course. We need a way to put this war to rest. That way, everyone can live in peace.", she explained to me. I couldn't reply to that. I didn't really know what to say. I didn't want them to continue this...but...I couldn't stop them.

I couldn't stop them...but...

"Thank you very much, Doctor.", I replied, respectfully, "...and...I forgive you...for putting me up to that test. I know you didn't have any ill intentions."

"Thank you, Viviana. Go and enjoy some peace and quiet.", she said, standing up.

"May I ask...how the children are doing?", I asked her, half fearing the answer, half wanting to know anyway.

"They're...gone.", she told me, "But, they were able to give us valuable data as we studied them. Because of them, it's possible that this will never happen again to anyone else."

"I see...", I said, feeling an intense sadness in my chest.

"You're weathering this news much better than before.", Alexis commented.

"Well...I've come to remember the feeling of loss once again. All those days of war and fighting have come back to me now. It makes it easier to understand and accept death, but seeing it right before my eyes is still traumatizing, especially if I'm the cause.", I explained.

"I guess that's a mixed blessing, isn't it?", she asked.

"Yes. It certainly is.", I agreed.

"Well, before I turn you loose, I had a question for you.", Alexis asked.

"Yes?"

"Our sources say they saw you enter your house with a boy yesterday. Care to comment?"

"He's...a friend."

"Another immortal?"

"..."

"Don't worry, we're not planning on studying him or anything. I just think it's nice to have someone in your same situation."

"...Yes. I think so, too.", I agreed, "Actually...he was my lover all that time ago. We're...we're finally reunited."

"I'm happy for you. Now, go enjoy your lives together.", she said. With that, she left the room, waving as she went. I felt fine now, so I got out of the bed I was in and stood up, stretching a bit, then leaving the room. I looked around a bit, but soon remembered where I was. The courtyard that the children and I would play in was in sight, so I knew how to get back to the lobby from here. It was late evening now, and I just wanted to go home and see Giorno. He was waiting for me, after all.

"I'll see you when you get home.", he told me. I doubt he expected me to be out this long.

Last night, Giorno and I had a duel to decide what path we would take for the future. Although he won, I couldn't allow him to have his way. It was a path of destruction and needless violence. So, by using the powers I was given by the mysterious man that Giorno and I met, I was able to alter his memories, forcing him to believe that he and I had always been together, and that his rebellion never existed. But, as I did that, I saw through his mind and his memories.

In this rebellion of his, he had many friends and comrades. All of them had goals and a purpose for being in this war. They all believed in him and his strength, and they all counted on him to make their dreams come true. They wanted to bring about a world of smiles...a world where Duel Monsters can thrive once again.

I fought for the same cause in the past. But, in those times, we were fighting against a force that threatened to conquer our homeland. This rebellion that he brought about...they have no reason to fight, other than revenge. The Dominion controls everything now. They have for years. Some of the members of the Rebellion had lost their homes, but the Dominion is sheltering them and caring for them as they would any of their citizens. Why they cannot accept the Dominion's ways and let go of their hatred and anger is imperceivable to me.

"Hatred only breeds more hatred." A saying that dates back before Duel Monsters. So true...But now...now Giorno wouldn't have to fight anymore. We could finally be together, living in peace, just like we always wanted to. Now that we were safe and on our own, we would fulfill the promise we made as young adults.

That girl, Yuki, wanted so desperately to prevent me from doing this. She thought it was wrong for me to alter his memories and control his will like I did. I wasn't fond of my actions either, and even now, I wish there was a better way. There was nothing else I could do, though. This was the only way to ensure that this rebellion would stop. To ensure that Giorno could live with me in peace, in a world where we were safe and protected, and everyone was cared for.

This was the world we dreamed of so long ago. A world where everyone was safe. A world where everyone was sheltered and fed. This world...was in harmony. I wish that those in the rebellion could accept that. If they did, this would be a world without war as well. It would be a utopia. But...a utopia without Duel Monsters. Duel Monsters is still forbidden here. But, compared to how the world was before the Dominion took over, I think getting to live in a world like this is an acceptable trade.

Duel Monsters brought smiles to the world, but that world was still filled with those without food, homes, and safety. Wars raged on, and countless humans died daily. This...this is alright. Giorno and I still have our Duel Monsters, and even if the rest of the world is without them...even if the rest of the world is without them...no...

That isn't right. How can I say that Giorno and I should be the only people allowed to use Duel Monsters? By using them, I'm no better than the members of the Rebellion...but...Duel Monsters was such a large part of our lives. Without it...we aren't truly keeping the promise we made all those years ago. That is no reason to try and bring about the end of the Dominion, though. Even if it is unfair..even so...it isn't something worth fighting for...right?

* * *

"Have you seen Kaiba?", I asked Latch.

"No. Haven't seen him since yesterday. He may just be out recruiting more people or something.", Latch replied, nonchalantly. Even though he wasn't concerned about it, I was. Kaiba...or...Giorno, had gone to meet that girl last night. But, he never returned. We never got word about what happened, either. Did they fight? If they did, did he win or lose? Were there some kind of conditions to a duel they might of had, forcing him to leave? Or did he run off with her? I had no idea what was happening, but I wanted so desperately to find out.

But...did I really want to know? If I found out that he ran away with her...if he loved her or something...I would be so heartbroken...

Did I really, _really_ want to know?

...If I didn't find the answer, I would be stricken by doubt and worry for the rest of my life. I needed to find him, and I knew my best bet would be to return to the home of that girl. She was the last person he saw. That was my only lead at the moment.

"I'm going up to surface to look for him.", I told Latch.

"You _what_? Aren't you overreacting a bit? I'm sure he'll be back tomorrow. There's no need to get all worried.", Latch said, trying to calm me down.

"I know...I know you're probably right, but I just have a bad feeling. In my heart...I feel like something is wrong.", I told him.

"Well...when it comes to Kaiba, you're usually pretty insightful.", he said, smiling, "Guess you just love him _that_ much, huh?"

"I-it's not like that...", I mumbled, averting my eyes. Latch laughed a bit, obviously seeing through my weak facade.

"Well, whatever your reasoning is, I'll take care of things down here. Go look for him.", Latch assured me.

"Right. Thank you, Latch.", I replied.

"Be careful up there, Shirley.", he finished, returning to his duties.

So, I ran back home and got prepared. I took a shower, did my hair, and got dressed in my casual clothes. When we went up to the surface, it was best to look as normal as possible. We always save more proper, clean clothes for the surface. We also get much more prepared. We make ourselves look nice, but not overdone. It's pretty much the best disguise we have. As soon as I was ready, I summoned my Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon and had him fly me to the Fourth Street elevator. The first place I was going to check was that girl's house. She was the person he was going to see. If he wasn't with her, she'd surely know where he went.

Even though the house wasn't going anywhere, I felt like I would self-destruct in five minutes if I didn't get there as fast as possible. I so desperately wanted to know what became of Kaiba, I found myself worrying about the worse case scenario. And no, not his death. He's made it clear he's incapable of dying. The worst case scenario...is that he's left us all. That he's left...me.

Kaiba...Giorno...he was my idol. The man I loved. My reason for living, and the reason I keep fighting and trying. If I lost him...if I lost him...I wouldn't know what to do. I wouldn't know how to live my life. I've followed him for three years, after he saved me from a doomed existence. If I lost him now...I'm not ready to stand on my own two feet. I need him.

It was four years ago that it happened...

Four years ago, I lost my parents in the war between America and the Dominion. It was the worst moment in my life. It wasn't by a family member or friend that I learned of their deaths. No...it was by a casualty report. I remember when the Dominion soldiers came into our home, taking me by force and bringing me to their internment camps while the war raged on in the distance. I was surrounded by people I didn't know, and was terrified for my life. But...that was a while after everything started.

Six years ago, I was living a happy life with my parents. I was really successful in school, had lots of friends, and had a lot of fun hobbies. My life...was really great. When I turned eighteen and graduated, I was set to go to one of the top universities in the country. I left home on a plane to go to another state to get a good education and start a great adult life. I promised my parents that I would come visit them and spend more time with them when I had a break. But...that time never came.

The Dominion began their assault on America. My parents were sent to war, along with every other able bodied adult. America was the most technologically advanced country for so long...until the Dominion came along. Although America lasted far longer than any other country did against their opposition, they still inevitably fell. When I learned of the war, I rushed home as fast as I could, but came home to an empty house. Realizing what had probably become of my parents, I fell into a depression. I slept in my parents beds with a few of their shirts with me, just so I could smell their scent and feel like they were with me while I slept. It was a miserable and saddening existence.

But, that only lasted for a short time. Only a few days later, Dominion soldiers came to my house. When they asked if anyone else was here, I told them no. They asked for me to come with them, but I was terrified, so I refused. They didn't like that. So, I was forcefully taken away. They wanted to prevent any spies from assisting the Americans in their fight, so we were brought to closely monitored internment camps. Although it was a military operation, the living situations weren't bad at all. We had plenty of room and food to go around, and most people there were friendly. But...it was nobody that I knew. If they were still alive, all of my friends were somewhere else in the world.

I was...all alone. I was alone for so long that I began to lose my mind. When heard news that America would soon fall, my worst fears began to become a reality. The war had only lasted a year, and America was already on its knees. This Dominion, forcing other countries into submission...bending them to their will. This wasn't a world I wanted to live in. Not with the Dominion, and not without my parents. I felt like I had nothing else to do. So, I decided to attack a soldier one night, and if I was lucky, he would kill me in retaliation. But, on the night I was to attempt this, the internment camp was attacked. Well...not quite attacked. The soldiers who were guarding it and the command center there was attacked. I like to think we were liberated. But, the other captives didn't think of it that way.

When everyone rushed outside to see what was happening, we saw something we didn't expect. It wasn't the American forces that saved us, it was a small group of people we've never seen before. They were using...Duel Monsters. They were using them as weapons. They destroyed the entire Dominion force here with _just_ Duel Monsters. While everyone else was terrified and sprinted away to freedom, I was undecided. I was frozen. My plan to end it all had failed, and now I was faced with these new people who I knew nothing of. I didn't know whether to try and attack them...or...if they were here to save me.

As I sat there, confused and uncertain, one man approached me.

"You have the look of a person who has lost everything.", he said.

"...I have.", I said, without thinking. With that, he called over his monster.

"If you'd like, I can kill you right now.", he offered. I didn't know how to reply to that. It was...what I was planning to do at first...but I wasn't sure anymore.

"Unsure? Then let me make you another offer.", he said, extending his hand to me, "Come fight with me. If you have no reason to live, then let me give you one."

A reason to live...I had been without one for so long. The mere thought of something...someone saving me and showing me the light...giving me a reason to keep on living, was overwhelming Overcome by emotion, uncertainty, and probably some relief, my body reacted on its own. I weakly took his hand, and began crying uncontrollably.

"Aw, look. You made her cry!", another man behind him said, walking over and stroking my head gently.

"Don't mind ol' Kaiba here. He's a little cold, but he's a great leader and a good guy under the ice."

Those were the first words Latch spoke to me. Where Kaiba was the one to give me stern direction and purpose, Latch was the one to give me soft encouragement and reassurance. Without the two of them...I would surely be dead.

Now, as I ran through the streets of the residential area, I remembered exactly how important Kaiba was to me, and I found myself running faster than I ever had before. As I rounded a corner, I bumped right into someone, knocking us both to the ground.

"Oh! I'm so sor-"

"No, it's alr-"

Our eyes met, and we both recognized each other.

"...You're...that girl..."

"You're the girl from the other day...and..." For some reason, even though I had no way of knowing she did anything wrong, I immediately took a hostile approach.

"Where's Giorno?", I asked, forcefully, standing up and bracing myself.

"Yes...you were the girl from the Rebellion. His secret admirer.", she replied, standing up and backing away slowly, taking a defensive stance.

" _Answer me!_ ", I shouted.

"It doesn't matter where he is. He's forgotten about you and your Rebellion.", she revealed, "You're wasting your time."

"You...! You did something, didn't you?!", I barked.

"And what if I did? I'm ensuring him a peaceful and war-free life. Is that wrong?"

"You stole him away from our friends! From me! He's not yours to take!"

"I've known Giorno for far longer than you have, little girl.", she spat back, "We were in love before your parents were even born. If he belongs to anyone, he belongs to me."

"You _bitch!_ ", I called out, pulling out my Duel Disk from the bag I was carrying and quickly equipping it.

"You want to see just how outclassed you are? Fine! I'll show you why I'm the only one who can care for him!", she replied, also pulling out a Duel Disk and equipping it.

"You have a Duel Disk?!", I exclaimed, "Wait! You were that girl from the battle yesterday!"

"Yes, and you're three hundred years too early to be facing me!", she barked, "Let me show you the difference in our skill!"


	23. Latch

Ever since Kaiba recruited me those years ago, I've been his number two. Second in command, as he phrases it. Whenever he's off somewhere, I'm the one in charge. Though, I'm nowhere near the kind of leader Kaiba is. He's charismatic, brave, super intelligent, skilled, and a wonderful tactician. Me? I'm pretty brave and I'm no slouch when it comes to fighting, but I don't think I'll ever be as amazing as Kaiba. And...that's okay. I've always been a number two kind of guy. Being the main attraction...that isn't really my thing. I'll leave the big positions to the people who can put them to good use. I'll just support them from behind.

As far as my duties go, I'm in charge of security when Kaiba is here. I'll take shifts watching the checkpoints, but I'm also in charge of our defenses and shipments. I always have to make sure our defenses are stable, we have enough soldiers at our vulnerable points, and that all of our shipments are logged and accounted for. If we somehow lost a shipment of Duel Disks or Cards...it could be very bad. And if our defense was too weak during some kind of attack, we'd be done for, most likely. It sounds like a monster of a job, but I'm glad to have it. It means that Kaiba trusts me enough to give me the important jobs.

It was while I was taking inventory that I heard Shirley call out to me.

"Hey Latch!", she called, running up to me.

"Hm? What's up, Shirley?", I responded, turning around.

"Have you seen Kaiba?", she asked me.

"No. Haven't seen him since yesterday. He may just be out recruiting more people or something.", I replied, not too concerned. Kaiba disappeared from time to time like this. He was usually recruiting some new members or taking care of some personal business. He always comes back, though, and it's not like this hasn't happened before. So, I wasn't worried.

"I'm going up to surface to look for him.", she told me.

"You _what_? Aren't you overreacting a bit? I'm sure he'll be back tomorrow. There's no need to get all worried.", I said, trying to be reasonable.

"I know...I know you're probably right, but I just have a bad feeling. In my heart...I feel like something is wrong.", she explained. Her heart, huh? Well, she's really sensitive to stuff. Usually, she realizes that something's wrong before any of us do. I guess it wouldn't hurt to just let her do what she wants. She might be right, after all.

"Well...when it comes to Kaiba, you're usually pretty insightful.", I said, smirking, "Guess you just love him _that_ much, huh?"

"I-it's not like that...", she mumbled, looking away. I couldn't help but chuckle at her horrible lying. Everyone in the Rebellion knew about her crush on Kaiba. But, that's not too rare. He's got quite a lot of secret admirers. Makes me a little jealous. But, he's definitely earned that kind of admiration and respect. Without him, we'd all be living under the iron fist of the dominion, losing all of our history and heritage. Kaiba keeps our history alive and gives us the strength to protect it.

"Well, whatever your reasoning is, I'll take care of things down here. Go look for him.", I told her.

"Right. Thank you, Latch.", she replied.

"Be careful up there, Shirley.", I concluded turning back to the supplies.

Shirley was always really emotional. The first time we met her, she was crying like a baby. Granted, she probably went through some pretty traumatic stuff. She never talks about what her life was like before Kaiba came along. Not to me, anyway. I don't really ask, though. A lot of people here have painful pasts. Those are mostly the reasons why they came here. The Dominion took something precious from them, whether it be their home, their family, or their heritage. So, when they feel lost and alone, we come to them and show them hope. That's exactly what we did with Shirley.

It was during the Domino-American War. Back then, the Rebellion was just a small task force. A handful of Duelists, trained by Kaiba himself. I was one of those Duelists. That's probably why I'm a lot stronger than most of the people in the Rebellion. Kaiba doesn't personally train people anymore, since there's just too many of us to train. Now, we have teachers that give lectures and classes on all the things we need to know. The new recruits Duel each other and learn through experience once they get the basics. Then, they're trained for actual battle.

There's a big difference between a Duel for fun or for sport, and a Duel for your life. When you Duel just for sport, it's about planning carefully and choosing your moves wisely. It's all about strategy. But, when it comes to actual battle, it's all about power. You want to get your strongest monster out as fast as you can, then power it up even further. We need that raw power to destroy our enemies. Unfortunately, you can't just stack your deck full of powerful monsters. Our Duel Disks, for whatever reason, don't allow us to break the rules. That means we have to follow Summoning conditions and all that stuff. We still don't know why we were given Duel Disks with this limitation, since our supplier refers to himself as our ally. At first, we thought that they just didn't have the technology to change it. But, once they gave us more and more Duel Disks and cards, it became apparent that they could easily engineer a Duel Disk specifically for battle.

Regardless, we wouldn't be able to fight the Dominion without this supplier. We don't really know who it is or how they found out hideout, but we're extremely grateful. Back when the Rebellion first started, Kaiba gave us Duel Disks that were salvaged from countries that hadn't been taken over by the Dominion yet. Apparently he had been around for quite some time. We don't really know how old he is, but he'd have to at least be in his forties to know all this stuff. Somehow...I feel like he's hiding some deep secret about himself from us. He never shows his face, and while that doesn't bother me so much, I still feel like there's something we should know.

Maybe one day he'll tell us, but for now, I'm alright with not knowing. Just because he hasn't told us about himself doesn't change everything he's done for us.

"Latch!", I heard another person call out.

"Yeah?", I asked, turning around once more to see Jinsei.

"We got another huge force coming towards us!", he exclaimed.

"What?!", I blurted out.

"It doesn't look like they're armed, but still. We need you to confirm what we should do.", he replied.

"They aren't armed...", I thought. It could be that these guys were refugees or soldiers like the Cartesians. This might be another chance to increase our numbers.

"Alright. I'll go meet them. Where are they coming from?", I asked.

"The wasteland again.", he informed me.

"Alright. Let's go.", I said, quickly leaving the supply depot. I quickly summoned my Dark Simorgh again, then climbed onto him and took off into the sky. Luckily, the wasteland wasn't that far away from the supply depot. I arrived there before that force came to the boundary. I had my Dark Simorgh drop me off on the watch tower, and I was greeted by the guards there.

"Sir!", the guard said to me, handing me binoculars, "Take a look!"

Looking through them, I could definitely see a large incoming force. However, they definitely weren't carrying any weapons. Looking closely, it looked like they were wearing cloaks and masks, just like Kaiba...but...I didn't know what they wanted. So, I did what Kaiba would do. Summon our monsters, land out there, and see what they want.

"Are you sure about this, sir?", one of the guards asked.

"Just come with me and keep your guard up. We'll be fine.", I told them.

"Yes, sir.", they agreed.

Once again, I called on my Dark Simorgh, flying down with the other guards to meet the force a short distance from the gate. After landing and climbing off of my monster, I stood there and waited for them to approach. They weren't attacking us, so they certainly didn't seem hostile. They weren't rushing us, either. They probably just wanted to talk. Soon enough, the majority of the force stopped and a single man approached us. They were wearing long black cloaks and clothing, wearing white and red masks.

The man got down on one knee and bowed to us, saying,

"Konbanwa. We have come seeking the Duelist Rebellion." Konbanwa? They knew Japanese?

"Well, you've found us. You are?", I replied.

"Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu. I am known as Hachiman.", he introduced himself, slowly standing up.

"Sou. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu. Nani ga hoshii desu ka?", I asked.

"I see...you speak our language as well.", Hachiman replied, "Who taught it to you?"

"Our leader. What is it that you came to us for?", I repeated. As soon as I asked that, he held his hand up, snapped his fingers, and everyone behind him held a part of their coat out to reveal...Duel Disks. But...these weren't anything like ours. These looked ancient. The field was just two blades attached to the center of the disk, unlike ours which are hologram projections. The arm strap was manual as well.

"You're Duelists?", I asked.

"We are the Vengeful Shinobi. The last remnants of the true Japanese people.", he explained, "When the Dominion began to spread their influence, we took to the shadows and continued as a secret society, maintaining our faith and history in the process. We came across one of your soldiers who told us how to find you."

"So, you want to join us?", I asked.

"Yes.", he agreed.

"Shouldn't we wait until Kaiba gets back?", one of the guards asked me.

"Probably, but I'm making an executive decision here as second in command. I'm sure Kaiba wouldn't have any complaints.", I said to him, then turning to Hachiman, "We'd be honored to form an alliance with you. You can stay with us down here. There's still an entire city to spare."

"Arigatou gozaimasu.", Hachiman said, extending his hand, "We will show our gratefulness through our loyalty."

"Good.", I agreed.

So, just like that, we recruited the Vengeful Shinobi. After bringing them back to the command center, designating housing for them and introducing ourselves further, we learned that they had four hundred and seventy three members. With these numbers, the Rebellion was now almost to one thousand members.

Kaiba said that we would need at least seven hundred and fifty soldiers to begin striking the Dominion, so it looked like we were in the clear now. But, I didn't want to make any decisions like that. Honestly, I didn't know exactly what Kaiba wanted to do as a first plan of action, so it was just a matter of waiting for him to return. Personally, I couldn't wait until we had a chance to strike the Dominion. Most people up on the surface think that the Dominion is this pure, righteous government that takes care of and loves all of their citizens. But, the truth is that they're just really good at doing dirty things in secret.

My family had been against what the Dominion was doing for the longest time. They were really outspoken about it, too. What most people in the Dominion forgot was that Japan used to be a peaceful and independent country. They forget that the Dominion took it by force, and that they did the same all around the world. They don't understand the fighting and war that the innocents of those countries went through, trying to fight off the Dominion. Maybe they do understand, but they refuse to believe it.

Anyway...the Dominion really didn't like people speaking out against them, and they certainly didn't like that people knew about their history. The Dominion has done everything in their power to rewrite history and erase all traces of Duel Monsters and their slaughter of those who opposed them. "All you need to change the world is one good lie and a river of blood", or so the saying goes. It holds true for the Dominion. As long as they keep lying and silencing those who speak out against them, their populace will never know the better. That's why they incarcerated my parents, grandparents...everyone in my family besides the children. Us kids were sent to orphanages, never told about what happened to our parents, other than "they broke the law, and so they were sent to jail." I was only six at the time, and it's been twenty two years. We hadn't heard anything from them for all these years. It wasn't until we got older that we realized what really happened.

They were causing trouble for the Dominion, so they were forcefully silenced. It went completely under the radar...and us kids didn't know any better...

By the time we realized the injustice, it was too late. It was when I was living on my own that Kaiba came to me, my two sisters having been adopted into other families prior. I was just feeling so alone...I unfortunately picked up an alcohol addiction, even though I knew that it would only make things worse. I didn't have any family anymore, and I was so furious at the Dominion, but knew I couldn't do anything to stop them.

One night, I was wandering around after curfew while drunk. I had nowhere to be and nothing to do, and I didn't want to be alone in that house at the moment. But, as I strolled down in the shopping district, I got stopped by a Security officer.

"What are you doing out here?", he asked me.

"I'm takin' a walk. What's it look like?", I spat.

"Look, son. You aren't supposed to be out this late. It's past curfew. You smell like alcohol as w-", he said. As soon as he called me 'son', I snapped. I threw a punch right at him, slamming my fist right into his face and knocking him straight down to the ground.

"We've got a code Alpha Two Two Three over here.", he said into his radio, "Requesting back up." When I heard that, I realized I would probably be up to my ears in Security officers soon. I had nowhere to run and hide, and nobody to turn to. So, I just put up a fighting stance and prepared for the worst. But, just as I thought I would have to lose my life in one big brawl, I heard a loud roar in the sky. Looking up, I saw a giant dragon come drifting down behind the officer. The officer backed up slowly towards me, utterly afraid and in shock. The dragon was a bright silver with deep blue eyes. From his back came a man, and he had something on his wrist.

"Shadow Spell.", the man said. Just like that, a series of chains shot out, wrapping around the officer and bringing him down to his knees. The man with the dragon slowly walked over to me, then held his hand out calmly.

"I sense great anger inside of you.", he said.

"...Yeah. You could say that...", I agreed.

"How about we put that anger to good use? Come fight for my Rebellion. We'll take down the Dominion and create a better world.", he offered, proudly. At that proposition, I couldn't help but agree. I grabbed onto his hand firmly, and said,

"With pleasure."

That's how I met Kaiba. Just like Shirley, he brought me under his wing in my time of need. Because of him...I'm a better person now. I'm stronger and more level headed than ever before. I probably owe my life to Kaiba. That's why I don't question his motives or anything. I know that he must be a good person under that mask. He wouldn't have saved me otherwise. He wouldn't have saved Shirley, either. He truly is like a messiah to all of us. We follow in his footsteps, and he leads us on a path to self betterment and victory. And when we finally win this, our names will go down in history. The Rebellion that saved the world from the Dominion's grasp. The Rebellion that brought freedom of speech, religion, and choice to the world once more. With the massive size of the Rebellion, it may seem like a stretch to assume we could do something like that, but if it's Kaiba who's doing it, I know we'll succeed.


	24. Heat of the Moment

**A/N: I now have a development blog over on blogspot. Check out my profile for a link. I use it to keep people posted about what's going on with the story, as well as answer some common questions and just talk about things going on in daily life. Be sure to go check it out. I have a Q &A up right now along with a general description of what the blog is going to be used for.**

* * *

As we flew over the city, we saw hordes of Dominion soldiers, backed up by large tanks and trucks with guns. As soon as we got closer, though, they took notice and began firing on us. Tank shells whizzed past us and a hailstorm of bullets started hitting our monsters. Luckily, their rifles weren't doing any damage. I guess Solid Vision can protect against rifles. Those tanks would probably be a problem, though. We were doing our best to avoid the fire and fly away, but a small fraction of them kept pursuing us. They had hopped in their trucks, firing their machine guns at us while their tanks followed behind. We flew away from the main roads and above the buildings, making it so they couldn't follow us easily, but the tanks still fired at us from afar. We couldn't do anything but keep running. Moments later, we saw a gigantic blast shoot from the main road, completely annihilating the forces pursuing us. The blast was wide enough to engulf the whole road. Three jeeps, two tanks, and the soldiers in front were completely destroyed.

When we looked back to see what had fired it, we saw a group of twenty or so Duelists. One of them had summoned some kind of gigantic cannon monster. Realizing they were on our side, we quickly flew down to them. Our monsters landed on the ground, letting us off while still keeping their guard up.

"Are you hurt, friends?", a man in combat armor asked, walking up to us. His armor looked exactly like the armor that Yusuke wears when he goes undercover...so, there was probably a connection there. Maybe Yusuke really looked up to him or something. He was speaking in English, though he had an accent. I didn't know why, since Yusuke and Viviana were speaking Italian when I first met them, but it at least made it easier on me. Maybe this was a result of the simulation or something.

"We're fine, thank you.", Yusuke said to him, "Are you here to fend off the Dominion?"

"Yes. Our American allies alerted us of the Dominion's impending invasion. We've come to aid anyone we can while our military takes action.", the man said, "We are regular citizens like yourselves, but our Duel Monsters seem to be quite effective."

"What does the military plan to do? It seems the Dominion is far more prepared for war than we are.", Viviana asked.

"Most of our military outposts were destroyed before we had time to react, but the rest of our forces are coordinating a retaliation. They are asking for our support in the meantime.", he replied.

"We'd be happy to assist you.", Yusuke said.

"Right.", Viviana agreed. I nodded as well.

"My name is Francesco. I am the commanding officer of this Platoon. You are all welcome to join us in our fight.", he offered. So, this is what it was like for them. This is how they got thrown into the war that changed their lives. I can't blame them for devoting themselves to this, even though they were putting their lives at risk. This was just a simulation, but I felt so strongly about everything happening that I understood their motivations. Maybe it's just because I run on emotions...but...I understood Yusuke a bit more now. The Duelists behind Francesco walked up to greet us, but stopped when they saw five tanks coming towards us. They fired a few shells at us, but one of the rebels activated a trap.

"Negate Attack!", he called, erecting a giant barrier that shielded us from the blasts.

"Blue-Eyes! Attack!", I ordered, quickly turning, "Burst Stream of Destruction!"

"Superdreadnought Rail Cannon! Fire!", the man in combat armor ordered. Blue-Eyes unleashed a blast of white energy that impacted a tank and caused a huge explosion, and the Rail Cannon destroyed the rest with ease. These monsters were extremely powerful. More powerful than tanks and machine guns. Seeing them used for this purpose...the amount of destruction they can _really_ cause...I understand why the Dominion is afraid of them.

"We should get off of the main roads. We have an outpost near the edge of the city where we are coordinating our defenses.", he told us, "Will you come with us?"

"Of course.", Yusuke agreed. So, with a few soldiers watching our backs and others watching out front, we quickly made our way down the street. Every now and then, we were met with resistance. There were soldiers all over the place, but our monsters quickly took care of them. As we ran through the city, we got a close up view of all the destruction. Dead bodies of civilians and soldiers lined the streets, with rubble and debris strewn about. This...was war. We were literally killing these soldiers, but I didn't feel hesitant or bad about it. I felt like it was justified. These people were committing horrible atrocities without a care in the world, and somebody needed to stop them. With that in mind, I didn't have any problems in attacking them. This was just a part of war. At least, that's what I was thinking at the time.

Once we got towards the edge of the city after a long journey, we dispersed out monsters and made our way down a tight alley. When we got to the other end, I could see a hatch on the ground, and the flag of the Duelist Rebellion above it. Francesco's armor, the flag I saw before me...Yusuke really _was_ creating an image of the past. He was resurrecting the rebellion in our current time. Viviana had said that it was just a regurgitation...like it was a bad thing. But...I think he's justified. He's trying to free everyone.

" _Free?! Free from what?! They're already free!_ ", Viviana's words came back to me. She was right...people were generally free to do what they wanted. Nobody was really oppressed...at least...not that I could see. But the way they try to rewrite history and cover up the past...it shows that they've done terrible things. Things like this war. Taking over Italy by force and killing anyone who stands in their way. It's unforgivable. In the back of my mind, my inner conscience was telling me that killing someone is still wrong, no matter the situation. But, this whole event was so emotionally gripping...my emotions were telling me that this is justified. Maybe this is how Yusuke feels. Even though he knows that destruction is unavoidable, he feels that its worth it. I guess I can't blame him, if that's the reason.

But...Viviana was still right. The people living in the Dominion are generally happy. It's not like they're being oppressed. Who are we to say that they should live a life without the Dominion? And what if we do win? What do we do after that...? And if Yusuke really does start a full scale war with the Dominion, how many innocents will have to die for him to succeed? How much is he willing to sacrifice? As I was thinking this, everything went grayscale again and stopped.

"Still having second thoughts?", I heard the mysterious man ask.

"What Viviana said to me...it's just undeniable. Fighting for Italy's independence is one thing, but the war we're fighting in Domino now...it's different. Most people in the Dominion are happy and satisfied with the way things are.", I replied.

"You _really_ think so?", he asked, suggesting that I didn't get the whole picture.

"What is it that I'm not understanding?", I asked, picking up the hint.

"You realize that they are the only world power, don't you? Their word is final, and _nobody_ can prove them wrong. That means they could _easily_ lie about a perfectly happy utopia, and anyone who disagrees would be...taken care of.", he suggested.

"Do you have any proof to support that?", I asked.

"Your friend Latch would know better than anyone!", he replied, giddily, "How about you ask him?"

"Latch would know? Why?", I questioned him, intently, "How do you know about Latch?"

"I suppose a proper introduction is on order...", he said, smugly. Like that, the area around me completely whited out, and I was standing in a bright, colorless room.

"The name's Vulpes.", the man said, walking from behind me and extending his hand, "A pleasure!" I obviously didn't take his hand, but I just questioned him further.

"How do you know all this stuff? Who _are_ you? _What_ are you?"

"I'm this world's resident deity!", he said, mockingly enthusiastic, "I see just about everything! The past, the present, but...not the future. Sadly that is my _one_ fatal flaw. It just makes things more exciting, though! That's how I look at it!"

"But...we were taught that there are no gods.", I told him.

"And that's exactly why I'm so _very_ powerful!", he said, putting on an evil smile, "Gods get their strength through humans, after all. And I'm the god of ignorance and _unbelief_. I used to be a measly deity, with hardly any power. The world wasn't filled with many atheists back then. _But_ , once the Dominion took over and enforced their strict laws of atheism, all the other gods lost their power, and I became stronger than _ever!_ So, I was able to take over!"

"There's more than one god?", I asked.

"Certainly! But, those old geezers aren't doing much, nowadays. I'm running the show now, and _boy_ , does it feel good!", he replied.

"What exactly do you want, then? Why did you give Yusuke and Viviana their powers, if you were just going to give me the power to cancel them? Doesn't that ruin everything you set up?"

"But, that's _exactly_ what I was going for!", he smirked, "I'm not out for any great cause, or any plan in general. I just want to be entertained. And you humans are _quite_ the entertainers!"

"So, that's what this is? We're just playthings to you?", I responded, getting angry.

"What? It's not like I'm going around and _murdering_ everyone. I'm giving you the tools to _change_ your fate, is all. It's up to _you_ to use them.", he replied, "Giorno and Viviana both chose these paths. They brought this on themselves. You have the same choice."

"I...have a choice...", I mumbled, realizing it was true. I hadn't accepting anything, yet, and he wasn't forcing anything on me. I had the choice to walk away...but...I wanted to save Yusuke. I didn't want things to end like this. Even if the Dominion ruled forever...I just wanted Yusuke back.

"And I'm giving you the opportunity to take him back.", Vulpes added, acting completely serious now.

"...That's all? You're not going to add in some condition?", I asked.

"Not at all!", he replied, smiling once more, "You're free to do as you please! As I said, I merely open the door for you humans. It's up to you to walk through it.", he explained. I thought hard about all this. If I rescued Yusuke...if I brought him back and gave him his memories again, then he would remember me and everyone else. But...the Rebellion would continue again. He would still fight against the Dominion, and it might bring chaos to everyone who was satisfied with this world as it is. By choosing to save him, I was choosing to continue a war that might be for nothing...

At that moment, an image of Yusuke extending his hand to me appeared. Back when we were in the tunnel, when I met him for the first time. His determination...his energy...his commanding and powerful presence...he wanted to fight. He wanted to see this through. I'd only be giving him the choice to choose for himself. Viviana...she had no right to take him like that. He should make his own choice. And most importantly, as selfish as it is, even if I'm throwing the whole world into chaos...I want to be by his side. I want him to remember me. I want him to see me as someone important to him again. Viviana might be right...but she isn't the one to make that choice. It's his life, and my life.

That was my realization, and the moment it all became clear. I wasn't involved with this Rebellion because I had something against the Dominion. I didn't care about bringing the past back or enlightening the lost civilians. I was in love with Yusuke, and this Rebellion gave me a purpose. It filled my boring life with something _more_. I had something and someone to believe in, and I was a part of something that would change the world. Something bigger than myself. That's my reason for fighting. And that's why I couldn't let Viviana have her way.

"I'll take it.", I told Vulpes, "Give me that power, and I'll free Yusuke!"

" _Excellent_! I _knew_ you were the right person for the job!", he exclaimed, extending his hand forcefully, " _As you wish_!" So, I grabbed his hand with force, and a blast of energy shot throughout my body. It felt like an electric shock was being jolted through my veins, and towards it end, it felt like my eyes were being seared by burning metal. All I could do was shout in pain, falling down to my knees and being unable to let go of his hand. But, after what seemed like hours of pain and throbbing, it was over. I let go of his hand and placed both my palms on the ground, feeling sick to my stomach and having a raging headache. I had never felt anything so mind-numbingly painful before. I couldn't even describe how it actually felt. I just gave my best possible description.

"Because you're such a champ, I thought I'd give you a little more than we agreed on.", he said, crouching down to meet my eyes. I was still gasping for breath, so I just weakly looked up to him to see what he meant.

"If you use your power on someone who is affected by another ability, it will negate their affliction and return them to their state before they were targeted, as I said. However...if you use the ability on another person who has an ability, you will also be able to temporarily copy their ability. The next time you use your ability, it will be replaced with the last ability you copied. I'm sure that will be _very_ useful in the future."

"How...what...I...", I mumbled, still getting my bearings. I wanted to ask him how he's able to grant powers like that and how he did it, but it wouldn't come out.

"I'm a deity! I can do things like that!", he noted, cheerily, "As for _how_ I do it..." He trailed off. As he paused, I finally got more of a grip, sitting upright and taking deeper breaths.

"It's _sort_ of like using electricity to alter the brain, I suppose. Human brains are capable of far more than they are typically used for. So, I just give them a nudge to make them work in a new way. It's much more complicated than that, but that's the best I can describe it in a way you'd understand."

"So...there are others...who have powers?", I asked.

"Indeed! Yusuke and Viviana aren't the only ones. I'm sure you'll find more in the future.", he said, slyly, "But, for now, all you need to focus on is Yusuke and Viviana."

"...Thank you.", I finally said, getting a grip.

"The pleasure is all mine.", he told me, "Now, tell me. Would you like to continue this little simulation, or are you ready to jump into action and save Yusuke?"

"After all this...I understand what your trying to tell me about the Dominion. They aren't what they seem, and they've done terrible things before. Regardless, I have my reason to keep pushing now. I'm going to go save Yusuke.", I replied.

"Good! Well, then, I'll let you go now. Buh-bye!", he replied, waving at me. In that instant, I felt myself fall back and free fall through the sky. My breathing became shorter and I felt extremely cold. Then, my eyes opened, and I was lying on my bed. I quickly sat upright, then looked over at my clock. It was still around the same time that I was put to sleep, at least if I was remembering correctly. Now it was time to go save Yusuke.

I didn't know where Viviana lived, but I think Shirley knew. I'd have to go ask her. So, I got up, grabbed my bag with my Duel Disk and Deck in it, then got ready to head out of my room. However, I paused as I passed the mirror. I took a few steps back, then looked at myself closely.

My eyes...were golden now. They weren't glowing or anything, but they were definitely a gold color. Maybe this was a sign that I actually got the powers that he gave me. I didn't really know how to activate it, but I assumed I would just have to think about using it or something. Anyway, I'd find out when I got there. Just in case, though, I needed to stay undercover and get on Viviana's good side. If she knew that I had the power to undo her spell, she probably wouldn't let me anywhere near him.

Without another moment of hesitation, I ran downstairs, put my shoes on, and made a break for the elevator in the housing district.

* * *

"I'm going first!", I shouted, drawing five cards. This girl...Viviana...whatever she did to Kaiba...I was going to undo it. She had no right to steal him away like that, even if she has known him longer. It's his life! His choice! I won't stand for this!

"Using my Scale Two 'Radiant-Eyes Magician' and my Scale Nine 'Radiant-Eyes Knight', I set the Pendulum Scale!", I announced, whipping the two cards into the Pendulum Zones, "Pendulum Summon! Come, my monster allies!" With that, I was able to Summon three monsters on my first turn.

"Level Four, Radiant-Eyes Serpent! Level Six, Radiant-Eyes Wyvern! And Level Eight, Radiant-Eyes Ascendent Dragon!"

"Level 4 - 1800 ATK"  
"Level 6 - 2300 ATK"  
"Level 8 - 2900 ATK"

"Now, I'll activate the effect of my Serpent! I can raise or lower the level of one 'Radiant-Eyes' monster on my field by two! I choose my Radiant-Eyes Wyvern!", I called lowering his level, "Now, I take my Radiant-Eyes Wyvern and Radiant-Eyes Serpent and overlay them!"

"A rather impressive opening move...", Viviana replied.

"I'm not done!", I replied. My monsters flew into the galactic portal below us, and a pillar of lightning shot up, creating a path for my monster.

"Radiant soldier with unparalleled skill and experience, come to me and carve a path to victory!", I called, "Xyz Summon! Come forth, Radiant-Eyes Ascendent Paladin!"

"Rank 4 - 2600 ATK"

"Now, I use Radiant-Eyes Magician's Pendulum effect! By detaching an Xyz Material from a Radiant-Eyes Xyz Monster I control, I can add up to three 'Radiant-Eyes' monsters from my deck to my hand!", I continued, allowing my deck to eject the cards I wanted, "But, I'm still not finished. Now I use the effect of my Radiant-Eyes Knight to perform a Fusion Summon with monsters on my field or in my hand without Polymerization! I take my Radiant-Eyes Ascendent Dragon on the field and Radiant-Eyes Ascendent Dragon in my hand to use them for a fusion!"

My two monsters flew up into the sky, standing before a twisting portal and combining together.

"Ferocious dragon, twisted and empowered, rain your fury down upon the world!", I chanted, "Fusion Summon! Come! Radiant-Eyes Twin-Headed Dragon!" And so, one of my strongest monsters descended from above. A two-headed dragon that glimmered like like a jewel, with two glowing, purple eyes. It's entire body was actually colorless, but because of the light that emanated from it, it appeared a bright white color. It's wings stretched out wide, shining it's bright radiance onto Viviana.

"Level 10 - 3500 ATK"

"And now, I end my turn. Let's see how well you do against _that_.", I scoffed.

"With _pleasure_.", she retorted, drawing a card, "Hmph. With only this first hand, I can set the stage for your defeat."

"Make. My. Day.", I replied, charged with hostility.

"First, I activate the card 'Dimensional Fissure'. Instead of sending cards to the Graveyard, they are banished. Same with your Pendulums. When they're destroyed, they won't go to your Extra Deck.", she explained.

"They...don't...", I mumbled, in shock.

"Yes. Now you see, building a deck around a single summoning method is absolutely pointless.", she boasted.

"Well, then, I'll just have to make sure they don't get banished.", I said, mustering up all my courage.

"I'll activate Advanced Fusion, fusing my Tragic HERO - Fallen King, Devoted Knight, and Sayaka.", she began, unenthusiastically. The way she was announcing her moves, the way she calmly played her cards...she wasn't taking this duel seriously at all. My opening move didn't even faze her.

"Fusion Summon, Level Eight, Tragic HERO - Requiem."

"Level 8 - 3500 ATK"

"Requiem's effect allows me to take control of one of your monsters...however...", she trailed off.

"Radiant-Eyes Twin-Headed Dragon can't be targeted by card effects.", I confirmed, seeing her examining my field.

"Very well. I'll just take your Paladin, then.", she replied. Her Requiem shot out some kind of cord, which pierced my Paladin's shield and wrapped around him tightly, quickly pulling him to her side of the field.

"So, you're gonna destroy both our strongest monsters, then attack directly with my Paladin?", I asked.

"I activate 'Substitutional Sacrifice'. By targeting your Paladin, I can do this.", she said, Banishing my Paladin. A second later, a card was ejected from her deck, and she brought out another monster.

"Tragic HERO - Gurren", it said, "Level 6 - 2600 ATK"

"Normally, I would need to Banish a specific Tragic HERO monster to Special Summon Gurren from my deck, but by using that spell card, I can use any other monster I control instead.", she explained, "And since your Paladin was banished this turn..." With that, her Gurren pounded its fist into the ground, causing a big crack to open up. He reached down deeply, then grabbed hold of something, pulling it straight up. It was...my Paladin!

"My Gurren has the ability to Special Summon any monster in my Graveyard, or any monster that was Banished on the turn in which I use his effect. Since all cards on the field are Banished after destruction due to Dimensional Fissure, that means I can keep pulling your monsters to my side of the field. And since your Paladin was brought here by my Gurren's effect, I have no need to return him to your side of the field at the end of my turn now.", she said, staring into my eyes intently, "Your Paladin is mine." I just stared at her in shock. She had totally turned the tables on me. Sure, I still had my Twin-Headed Dragon, but she could just take any of my cards that she destroyed now.

"Hmm...it seems _my_ Paladin has a pretty interesting effect. I think I'll use it.", she said, with a devious smirk. My Paladin was unique, in that if he was destroyed with Xyz Materials, he would get them back if he returned to the field and the materials were sent to the Graveyard. Now that she had him on her field, she could activate his effect. By detaching an Xyz Material, she can add one Field Spell to her hand. I didn't know what she had, but based on the cards she was using, it probably powered up HERO monsters. She got the card out of her deck, then activated it.

"I activate Sanctuary of the War-torn! As long as this card is on the field, neither player can Special Summon any monsters, except Warrior-types!", she called out, smiling at her accomplishment, "Splendid, isn't it? Let me guess...I probably just cut your Pendulum Summoning possibilities in half, at least. Tell me, how many Warrior-type Pendulum Monsters do you have? What are the chances that you'll draw them?" I couldn't answer. I knew how many I had...but...I didn't want to answer.

"Well, even if you _do_ manage to summon something, I can just take control of it.", she mocked further.

She...she completely destroyed my Pendulum Summoning...my monsters aren't returned to the Extra Deck...and she can just pull them over to her side of the field...On top of that, I only have a few Warrior-type Pendulum Monsters. My Warrior-types are far weaker than anything she has on the field right now. There's just...there's no way. My deck is built around Pendulum Dragons...it was over...it was all...

 _"If you have no reason to live, then let me give you one."_

No...I can't give up now. I haven't carried out our mission. I haven't fulfilled my purpose. My reason for living. My reason for living that Kaiba gave me. For him...even if it's only for him...I have to keep going. She only stopped me from Pendulum Summoning from my hand. I can still Normal Summon, Fusion Summon, or anything else like that. I'll just have to play this like I was taught. Before I got this Pendulum deck. When I was still using plain old cards.

"...So what?!", I shouted, in retaliation, "If you think that I'm a one trick pony, then you've got another thing coming, _bitch!_ "

"Well, you're not entirely out of options. I suppose you can still Normal Summon.", she scoffed, still with that stupid smirk on her face. She sighed deeply with smug satisfaction, saying,

"I have no idea what's come over me. Seeing you squirm...seeing you struggle...It's so satisfying."

"I can't believe that Kaiba would ever fall for someone like you! If he saw how you were right now, he'd leave you in two seconds flat!", I barked. With that comment, her smirk disappeared, and she looked down at the ground, collecting herself.

"You're right...he wouldn't approve of my behavior.", she admitted, calming down, "Perhaps it's because you've been so flirty with _my_ lover that I enjoy watching you suffer so much. You are seriously conceited if you ever think you'd have a chance with him."

"Really? Well, it wasn't until recently that he even _mentioned_ you. I'm sure that he _completely_ forgot about you. And I mean, who can blame him? You are _extremely_ boring, after all.", I mocked back.

"You can talk all you want, but he still told me that he loves me. Can you say the same?", she taunted, "Enough with this pointless banter. I still haven't ended my turn, yet."

"Just hurry up so I can win, already.", I spat. As soon as I had the opportunity to attack directly, I'd obliterate her in one shot. Then, I would go and grab Kaiba. I'd make things right. Make things the way they were before.


	25. Zenith (Part 1)

**A/N: I had very little time to write these past 2 weeks, but since I finally have some time, I'm cranking out two chapters this weekend for the season finale. I hope you enjoy, and I apologize for the late posting.**

* * *

"If you insist on being so impatient, I'll end my turn here. There's nothing you can do, anyway.", Viviana boasted.

She had her Tragic HERO - Requiem and Gurren on the field. Requiem could take control of any monster on my field until the end phase, and Gurren could Special Summon any monster Banished during her turn. She also had my Paladin, but since he was out of Xyz Materials, he was just a 2600 Beatstick. She had Dimensional Fissure on the field, making sure any of my monsters destroyed would be banished, and Sanctuary of the War-torn which only allowed me to Special Summon Warrior-type monsters...

She had a pretty formidable defense against my Pendulums...but for Kaiba's sake...I wouldn't back down. I had to believe in myself. I had to believe in my deck. Most of all...I had remember everything I was taught.

When I joined, there were about 50 people in the Rebellion. But, more and more joined every single day. I had never seen so many people flock to a cause like this. As far as I knew, there wasn't any sort of advertising for our Rebellion. It was just through word of mouth. We were always careful about our contacts as well, and anybody who wanted to join was thoroughly investigated before being let in. Our numbers just grew and grew. Our only weakness was the wasteland entrance, and we had been attacked by the Dominion a few times through there. Back then...we didn't have as many skilled Duelists as we do now. Kaiba was the one who protected and led us through those battles. He did most of the work himself.

He was like a messiah performing miracles. We would be attacked by hundreds of soldiers, yet we would wipe them out with minimal losses if any. It was because of times like these that we learned to trust Kaiba, even though he never showed us his face. I realize now why he couldn't show us. He may not have _really_ been the son of Ryotaro Tachibana, but as far as anyone who was alive knew, he _was_. Ryotaro Tachibana was the head of Tachibana Corp which supplied weapons and armaments for the Dominion. It was because of his corporation that the Dominion was strong enough to take over the world. If the people in the Dominion learned that Kaiba was his son...it would be catastrophic. It wouldn't change anything he had done for us, but I doubt anyone would be willing to trust him any further.

No matter what, I would stay by his side, and I imagine Latch would as well. We've always been the closest to Kaiba. But...the Rebellion would fall apart. It was through his skill and command that he earned the trust of his followers, though he could never show his face.

When I was first being taught Duel Monsters, Latch was my teacher. Apparently, Kaiba was _his_ teacher. I was being taught by the best, through extension.

"You need a sort of balance in your deck. Not too many monsters, not too many spells and traps. It's usually best to have somewhere around forty cards, as well. It means that you'll draw what you really want more often than not.", Latch told me.

"What kind of deck do you use?", I asked him.

"I use a lockdown deck.", he said, "I prevent my enemy from doing anything, while I hammer them with attacks."

"How are you supposed to fight back against something like that?"

"Well, I hope that they don't, for my sake. But, there's always a way out. Even in a totally hopeless situation, there's a chance that you can make it out. It's all a matter of luck, really. I mean...it's all a matter of luck if I can even lock someone down. You just gotta believe that your deck will be true to you and deal you the cards you need.", he explained.

"Believe in my deck?", I echoed, puzzled by his words.

"Yeah, but you gotta believe in yourself, too.", he continued, "No matter how bleak the situation gets, never give up. It's not over till it's over. Remember that."

He was right. It isn't over yet.

Right now, I had Radiant-Eyes Twin-Headed Dragon on my field and "Radiant-Eyes Werewolf" in my hand. I couldn't do anything with my Werewolf at the moment. He was a level six, but I couldn't Special Summon anything that wasn't a Warrior-type. My Dragon couldn't be targeted by card effects, and he had 3500 ATK. I could technically destroy her Requiem and my Dragon, but that would leave me wide open. My best choice right now was to leave him on the field and try my luck. It was up to my next draw to get things moving along.

"...Draw!", I called out, after a moment of hesitation. I closed my eyes tightly for a moment, then opened them and looked at the card. It was exactly what I needed.

"I activate Wavering Eyes!", I called out. Wavering Eyes destroyed all Pendulum Monsters in either player's Pendulum Zone, and activated certain effects based on how many were destroyed. Since it destroyed my two, it would deal 500 direct damage to Viviana, and I would get to add a Pendulum Monster to my hand. Taking the chance, I grabbed my last Radiant-Eyes Ascendant Dragon from my deck and put him in my hand, then, my Knight and Magician were destroyed. But since they were in the Pendulum Zone, they weren't banished. They are treated as Spell Cards in the Pendulum Zone, so they were sent to my Extra Deck for later.

From the Pendulum Zones, a blast of energy shot at Viviana, dealing her 500 Damage.

"LP - 3500"

"Now, my Pendulum Monsters effects trigger!", I announced, "When my Magician and Knight are sent to my Extra Deck from my Pendulum Zone, I can add one 'Radiant Spell' card from my deck to my hand for each!" So, I added two to my hand, then got ready to continue.

This was perfect. I added 'Radiant Spell: Ascendant Flash' and 'Radiant Spell: Re-Materialize' to my hand, meaning this whole duel was about to be turned around. With this...I could win this. Just like Latch said. As long as I believe in my deck...anything was possible.

"I activate Radiant Spell: Ascendant Flash! As long as I have a Radiant-Eyes Monster on my field, this negates the effect of all face-up Spells and Traps on the field when I activate it!", I called. The card activated, and a shiny red stone launched over at her field, exploding into a bright red flash of light. After it faded, her Sanctuary and Dimensional Fissure were covered in red sparks, showing that they were negated.

"Now, I use Radiant Spell: Re-Materialize! This lets me target a Radiant-Eyes Fusion, Synchro, or Xyz monster I control, then Special Summon any of the materials used for its summon in my Graveyard! So, come back! Radiant-Eyes Ascendant Dragons!"

A ray of light shined onto my field, Special Summoning my dragons once again, atom by atom.

"Level 8 - 2900 ATK", they both appeared.

"Now, I use the effect of the other Radiant-Eyes Ascendent Dragon in my hand! If I control two other copies already, I can fuse all three of them!", I announced, taking all three of them and preparing for a Fusion Summon."Now, I use the effect of the other Radiant-Eyes Ascendent Dragon in my hand! If I control two other copies already, I can fuse all three of them!", I announced, taking all three of them and preparing for a Fusion Summon. My monsters rose into the air again, flying towards the twisting vortex.

"God-like Dragon, beyond the comprehension of man, strike the earth and lay waste to my foes!", I chanted, "Fusion Summon! Come forth! Level Twelve! Radiant-Eyes Transcendent Omni-Dragon!"

"Level 12 - 4800 ATK"

Glistening with radiant, gem-like streams of light, my dragon descended from the sky. A diamond-like snaking body with four sharp wings coming from it, showering the entire field in its glorious light. It's giant talons were held in front of it, ready to destroy anything that it came in contact with. This was my strongest monster. This was the monster that I've destroyed entire legions with! My greatest protector and friend!

"Forty-eight hundred attack?!", Viviana exclaimed. Yes! Seeing her so panicked was exactly what I needed to motivate me! She wasn't expecting this at all! It was time for me to shatter that ego of hers, and drag Kaiba back myself! I could do this!

"Omni-Dragon! Attack her Requiem! Radiant Burst Stream!", I ordered. My dragon flew up into the sky, higher and higher. Then, it spread it's wings out far, gathering the sunlight in its crystalline body. Then, with one fluid motion, it unleashed the light in a straight, concentrated beam, obliterating her Requiem into nothing. From her shocked expression, I could see that she wasn't expecting that at all. She still had her Gurren and my Paladin, but they were no match for my Omni-Dragon. He couldn't be targeted by card effects, either.

"LP = 2200"

Yes! I destroyed her ace monster! This felt so good! I felt so alive! No other duel gave me this much pleasure!

"I'm going to make you regret forcing your will on others! I'll make sure you never hurt anyone again!", I shouted, triumphantly. She seemed to be angered by that comment for a moment, but collected herself a few seconds later.

"I see...", she said, softly gathering herself, "I suppose I got lost in my enjoyment and forget to never underestimate my enemy..." When she said that, the same thing clicked within me. I...kind of went crazy just now, didn't I? I took joy in seeing her pain...that's exactly what I just said I hated about her...and seeing how she snapped out of her thrill, I tried to do the same myself. I was just as worked up as her, but it was never good to lose your head in a fight like this. I didn't want to become the kind of twisted person she was, either. Kaiba...wouldn't want that of me.

So, I loosened up, took a deep breath, and closed my eyes...just contemplating. I needed to calm down and think things out instead of acting on impulse. When I acknowledged that, I realized that I had made a huge mistake. A mistake that could cost me the game.

I should have used my Omni-Dragon's effect before doing anything else. I would have been able to fill my field with more powerful monsters. I could have done much more damage...I could have possibly even reduced her field to 1 monster. Because I jumped straight into an attack, I skipped right from my Main Phase to my Battle Phase, losing the opportunity to summon more monsters and attack...

Because of Radiant Flash, I would still be able to Special Summon more monsters, but only as long as she didn't destroy it. Depending on what she drew, I might not get the chance to make up for this mistake. But...that's what I get for losing my head. In any case, I needed to continue on and do what I could. I wasn't out of this yet. I still had a chance, and I had a monster on my field that was more powerful than anything she's brought out yet, while also being unaffected by card effects. She would need to bring out a monster with 4800 attack or more to take my Omni-Dragon down, and chances are, she wouldn't be able to pull that off in one turn. I probably had some more time to work this out...

"I...lost my head, too.", I admitted. She glanced up at me, seeing my apologetic expression. I wasn't apologetic towards her, but I was more ashamed of my own actions. I guess I was repentant for going down the path that she did and lowering myself to her level.

"It's thrilling to make someone who you truly despise suffer.", she said, smiling at me with a strangely accepting expression, "I guess you and I are more alike than I initially thought."

"I'm not like you.", I said, defiantly but calmly, "I actually have remorse for taking joy in that. I don't think you should ever feel good about causing another human pain, no matter who they are. That's...inhuman." She laughed softly, replying with,

"That's very compassionate of you. But, I believe you simply haven't experienced enough hatred. If you truly despise someone, that compassion won't apply to them. I stole away your love interest, and from what I understand, he's the most important person to you. You had enough hatred for me to enjoy my suffering, if only for a moment."

"...I don't ever want to hate someone enough to enjoy their suffering...", I murmured, "Even though you took Kaiba away from me...I don't think you did it just to spite me. I mean...you love him too, don't you?" Her expression changed from a cynical smirk to a surprised and slightly confused stare.

"...Yes.", she agreed, "I do love him."

I realized my fault now. I realized what I didn't want to become. Instead of making her suffer and growing more hatred...I don't know. I wanted to come to an understanding. I wanted to be the kind of person that Kaiba would want to love. Someone sweet and understanding. Someone different from Viviana. If that meant coming to peace with her...

"Why did you take him away from us, then?", I asked, trying to understand. She paused, probably debating what she should say.

"...Your rebellion is too chaotic.", she told me, "It causes needless destruction, and I didn't want that to go on. I just wanted everyone to live in peace. I wanted Giorno to be happy and without worries, away from any more war. I just...I don't want any more senseless deaths."

"So...you weren't planning on killing me?"

"No. I already made a pledge with myself that I wouldn't kill another human.", she admitted.

"Well...I'm sorry. But, you're going to have to kill me to stop me from getting Kaiba back.", I told her, "I'd rather die than leave without him."

"I won't have to kill you.", she said, "And...you will be able to leave here without needing his guidance."

"...What...?", I asked, confused.

"It doesn't matter right now. This duel will decide what will happen. Let us continue."

"Right...", I agreed, feeling an odd sense of sympathy with her. She truly did love Kaiba...and it seemed like her intentions were pure. I understood where she was coming from and what she wanted to do, but I didn't agree with how she was going about it. The end result seemed to be the only thing that mattered to her. I knew what she wanted in the end was good...but...that wouldn't change my decision to stop her, though. Even though I respected her strength and I understood her intent, Kaiba was the most important thing in my life. There was no way I was letting her keep him.

"I guess...I end my turn.", I told her.

"My turn. I draw.", she said, calmly. She only had one card in her hand, so if it was nothing she could use, she would have to switch her monsters to Defense Position.

"I summon Tragic HERO – Shu from my hand.", she said, placing a monster on the field, "Using Shu and Gurren as Synchro Materials, I Synchro Summon Tragic HERO – Oedipus from my Extra Deck."

Her monsters flew up into the air, Shu becoming bright balls of light and circling around Gurren, forming into a new Synchro monster.

"Level 9 – 3200 ATK"

"Now, I'll use Oedipus's effect. I can permanently halve his attack, then reveal the top three cards of my deck and Special Summon any Tragic HERO monsters among them.", she continued. That was an interesting effect, but it all relied on the luck of the draw. She had a random chance of it even working. So, I watched and hoped for my sake that she didn't get any. But, she pulled one off, and it was a Tragic HERO. Another...it was a Tragic HERO. The last...was another Tragic HERO. She was able to pull three right off the top. The worst possible scenario...

"I Special Summon 'Tragic HERO – Sorrowful Widow, 'Tragic HERO – Unfortunate Son', and 'Tragic HERO – Desperate Warrior'."

"Level 4 - 1000 ATK"  
"Level 4 - 1100 ATK"  
"Level 4 - 1200 ATK"

All three monsters appeared to be normal humans. The Sorrowful Widow had no weapon at all and only a fancy fur coat, while the Unfortunate Son had armor and a shortsword. The Desperate Warrior had full body armor with fur lining, along with a large greatsword.

"When all three of these monsters are on the field, I can Tribute one monster and Special Summon 'Tragic HERO – Baratheon' from my deck.", she continued, tributing my Paladin. A card was ejected from her deck, and she grabbed it proudly, setting it on the field and summoning a sufficiently powerful monster.

"Level 9 – 3100 ATK"

Baratheon was a large man in heavy armor, wearing a furry cape and wielding a gigantic sword. He looked incredibly intimidating. So in one turn, she was able to summon two monsters with over 3000 attack, but neither were strong enough to take on my dragon. I had a feeling she wasn't done, though. I had no idea what kind of monsters she had in her deck, but it was very possible she had a back up plan.

"Now, I'll use my Widow's effect to raise Oedipus and Baratheons' levels by one.", she added. Her Widow floated over to both Baratheon and Oedipus and gave them both a soft kiss on the forehead, raising both of their level by one.

"Level 10 – 3200 ATK"  
"Level 10 – 3100 ATK"

"Since they're both level ten, I'll continue by overlaying my Baratheon and Oedipus.", she told me. A starry portal opened up beneath her, swirling together like the Milky Way. Both of her most powerful monsters transformed into rays of light and quickly flew into the center, causing a blast of lightning to emerge and bring forth a new monster.

"Misguided and misunderstood, with grand power and command, step forward and enforce your royal will!", she called, "Evocazione Xyz! Venire! 'Tragic HERO – Fateful King'!"

"Rank 10 – 4000 ATK"

"Four thousand...impressive. But, that's not enough to take on my Dragon.", I said to her.

"I'm not finished.", she replied, "For my last Summon, I'll overlay my three level fours." Her monsters flew into the portal once more, causing another eruption and bringing out yet another monster.

"Evocazione Xyz! Venire! 'Tragic HERO - Utena'!", she called.

"Rank 4 - 500 ATK"

"Only five hundred attack?", I asked.

"Utena's ability allows me to detach up to three Xyz Materials from her, then have another monster I control gain attack equal to hers times the amount of Materials I detached.", she told me.

"What?!", I called out.

"I detach three Xyz Materials to give my Fateful King fifteen hundred attack!"

"Rank 10 - 5500 ATK"

"Fifty-five...hundred...", I muttered in utter disbelief.

"This stays in effect as long as I control a Tragic HERO, including my Fateful King.", she explained, "My Fateful King can detach a material to negate all other card effects until the end of the turn. Unless you have a way to top five thousand five hundred attack on your next turn, this duel will soon be over."

Five thousand...five hundred...attack...? I was still floored by this turn around. I was able to bring out my strongest monster...yet...she just overthrew him in one turn...how was I supposed to compete with this? I only had one monster powerful enough to get close, but I would need something more to power him up or else he wouldn't breach 5000...that's assuming I could even summon him at this point.

"Now, Fateful King! Attack her Omni-Dragon!", she called out. Her monster readied his blade, then charged head on towards my dragon. I was almost too slow to react, but I caught myself just in time.

"I activate my Omni-Dragon's effect! Once per turn, it can't be destroyed by battle!", I called out.

"It's useless! I detach an Xyz Material to negate your card effect! Continue your attack, Fateful King!", she countered.


	26. Zenith (Part 2) (Season Finale)

It had a been a while since Shirley left, and I was chatting with the leader of the Shinobi and getting them acquainted with the underground. Apparently their Duel Disks didn't utilize Solid Vision like ours. Instead, they projected simple holograms by using some sort of projectors that launched from the side of the Duel Disk itself. They didn't seem to have any offensive capabilities, so the Shinobi had to rely on their own strength to fight off attackers.

"I don't intend any offense...but these Duel Disks are ancient...", I noted.

"They have been passed down for hundreds of years, before the Solid Vision system was created.", he explained, "They were used by great duelists many ages ago."

"This is what they used to use back then?"

"Indeed. Duel Monsters was nowhere near as destructive as it has become.", he admitted, "Perhaps if it remained true to its nature as a recreational game, it would have never needed to become outlawed."

Kaiba never told us about that, though...it was strange. You'd think that he would have mentioned something so important. But, it looked like Kaiba wasn't the only one with extensive knowledge about the past now. I guess the history of the world wasn't completely lost, it was just forbidden from becoming public. And if what he said was true, then it may be possible that Duel Monsters could return, but as a peaceful game. Maybe we just needed to get rid of the Solid Vision system and return to its roots.

"Latch! Latch!", I heard someone call. I turned around to see someone rushing up to me at great seed.

"Hm? What is it?", I asked. It was one of my guardsmen coming up to me in a panic. He must have run a long way, because it took him a few seconds to catch his breath and get his bearings. Whatever it was, it must have been important.

"Shirley...Shirley is battling someone!"

"She's _what_?!", I replied.

"One of our scouts said it looked like she was in trouble!", he continued, "She's in Sector Z, lower quarter!"

"That idiot!", I said, out loud. I quickly readied my Duel Disk and drew my cards, once again performing one of my signature combos and bringing out my Dark Simorgh. I quickly jumped onto his back and gave him a pat, directing him towards the elevator and taking off. When it came to Kaiba, Shirley had pretty good instincts, but she also acted completely on emotion. I should have guessed that she would get caught up in some trouble if she went alone. I should have gone with her. Maybe this could have been prevented if she had some help.

I couldn't worry about it now, though. All I could do was rush as fast as I could and go to help her.

* * *

As I ran down the street, I ignored everything else that I passed. I never even told my mom I was leaving. I was just so filled with passion that I didn't care about anything else. I needed to find Shirley and ask her about where Viviana lived so I could go find Yusuke. After everything that happened between them, it's most likely that they're together at the moment. From what she said to him last night, it seems like they would be living together now. That's the impression I got, anyway.

Even though that made me a bit frustrated, I used that frustration to give me more motivation. I hated the thought that they were all lovey dovey and alone together, especially since they're only like that because she brainwashed him. If he chose to be like that of his own free will...it would still bother me, but not to this extent. This was unforgivable. I sprinted as fast as I could through the streets, then down the alley and towards the checkpoint. As I drew nearer, I was stopped by a few men.

"Where do you think you're going, little girl?", they asked, sounding as if they were trying to intimidate me. Realizing they were probably with the Rebellion, I reached into my bag and pulled out my Duel Disk, showing it to them.

"I'm part of the Rebellion. Let me in.", I said with conviction.

"Oh yeah? Do you have any more proof?", he asked. I remembered the card that Yusuke gave me, so I took my deck out and sorted through it, pulling out the Raising the Rebellion Flag card and showing it to him.

"O-oh...I see.", he replied, "Sorry about that. You can never be too sure. I'll take you in."

"Thank you.", I accepted, following him further down the alley. I was too focused on my objective to speak to him or anything, so he just opened the locked door for me and let me inside, allowing me to use the elevator and head down to the underground. Even though the elevator was moving extremely fast, I still felt like it was moving too slow. Yusuke probably wasn't going anywhere, but I still felt like every second counted. I still had my Duel Disk in my hand, so I decided to just put it on while I was underground. I would probably need my monsters to get me around quickly. I would put it away once I got outside, though. It wasn't the dead of night or anything. Wearing it out in the open right now would probably be a bad idea if security caught me.

While I was thinking about all this and the underground, Daisuke came to mind. Last I saw him, he was still underground. I hadn't seen him in a while...and I felt kinda bad about that. While he was working hard and waiting for me...I was chasing after someone completely different. Someone who I probably had no chance with. Daisuke would jump at the chance to go out with me...but I decided to run after someone unattainable...knowing that...I felt like a bad friend. He'd been waiting our whole lives...and I just up and ran after someone I just met this year. It felt unfair to him...but I just didn't see him that way. I know I couldn't go out with him, but I wanted to make it up to him somehow. I wanted to let him know he was still important to me.

When I reached the bottom and the doors opened, I looked around me to get a sense of where I was, then remembered where I needed to go. So, I pulled up my Duel Disk, drew some cards, and was able to Special Summon a Blue-Eyes right away. He appeared in front of me, ready to serve, so I climbed onto its back, then told him the direction I wanted it to go. He flapped his silver wings swiftly, then lifted up into the air and flew off towards Shirley's house. But, as I went further and passed over several streets, another Duelist on a monster came flying right towards me. Both of us stopped right next to each other, just barely avoiding a collision. I looked over at him, and to my surprise, it was Latch.

"Latch! Have you seen Shirley?", I asked him.

"I'm going to save her right now! Shirley's in trouble!", he replied.

"She is?!", I replied, in a panick.

"Don't worry! I'll bring her back, but you need to stay here! We can't risk anyone else!", he ordered me.

"But Latch-!"

"No buts!", he said, patting his monster and flying off behind me at full speed. Latch didn't understand, though. I needed Shirley's help to find Yusuke. I couldn't just wait for her to get back. I needed to go with him. Even though he told me not to, I disobeyed his order and flew right after him. This wasn't something I was just going to let go. Once I caught up, he looked over at me, annoyed at my persistence.

"I told you to stay back!", he shouted.

"Yus-I mean...Kaiba is in trouble! Shirley is the only one who knows how to find him! I need to see her immediately!", I shouted back. He grunted and sighed in frustration, then replied,

"Alright...Alright...just be careful! I don't want to lose anyone else, alright?"

"Alright!", I agreed, "But, where is she?"

"Just follow me!", he told me.

"Right!"

With that decided, we both took off at full speed back toward the elevator. Now I had Latch with me. If I couldn't have done it alone, now I would be able to for sure. Latch, Shirley, and I could all save Yusuke together. But...what was Shirley doing battling someone? What was she doing out and about anyway?

"Kaiba hadn't returned in a while,", Latch began as we climbed off our monsters, "She had a bad feeling, so she went looking for him." If that was the case...then there was a chance I knew who she was battling, and if it was, Shirley was in a lot of trouble.

"Latch, Shirley could be in big trouble. She's probably facing someone she can't possibly handle.", I urged him.

"Then we just have to hurry, but we can't lose our heads.", he said, trying to remain logical. He was probably as calm as he was because he didn't understand the gravity of the situation. He didn't understand just how powerful and experienced Viviana was. If she was facing Shirley...I mean...no matter how good Shirley was, she didn't have the kind of experience that Viviana had. I wanted to have faith in her, but I couldn't help but doubt her chances. Then again, I had no proof she was fighting Viviana. I just had to hope that it wasn't her. I had to hope that we would get there in time.

Just as we were about to enter the elevator, I heard a familiar voice shout at us.

"Wait up!"

* * *

It's been pretty interesting being underground. I had no idea there was an entire city down here. From what they told me, this city used to be above ground, but the Dominion built on top of it or something. They wanted to erase the history of the city, so they basically wrote over it. Why they would go to such an extreme is really beyond me, but, hey, whatever floats their boat, I guess. I've been spending most of my time training with other recruits, improving my skills. Granted, this deck they gave me is only something that they slapped together for me in a hurry, so it doesn't really have a tactically sound structure. That's what they told me, anyway. They said it was just built to bring out a really strong monster as fast as possible. A Combat deck as they say. Well...whatever. As long as it works and I can do stuff with it.

Honestly, I would have never thought that a collectible card game would be used for war. It seems like just about anyone over the age of seven could learn how to play this game, and they told me that it used to be played just for fun. But, they also said that things like an interdimensional war circulated around these cards. I wonder how a fun card game for kids could become so destructive and life threatening. I wondered who would try to design it this way, too. Holograms are cool and all, but didn't anyone think of the destructive potential these things would have? But, maybe I'm not one to talk. I'm not exactly good at planning stuff myself. Yuki is usually the brains. I'm just the brawn. Occasionally the emotional support, as well.

...It _had_ been a while since I'd seen Yuki. It was like this most of the time, now. Before, we used to be together all the time. In class, after school, on weekends. People used to think we were dating because of how much time we spent together. But...she just thinks of me as a friend. I know that pretty well, which is why I've never gone into full on confession. I've been in love with Yuki for a long time. Like...a _really_ long time. Ever since Middle School, actually. I probably would have fallen in love with her before that if I was mature enough, but I've always really liked her. It just wasn't until I was older that I understood just how _much_ I liked her.

But...she had been running around with Tachibana lately. It's weird. She never paid much attention to him before. Even during his introduction into the class, while all the other girls were splooging their panties over him, she was pretty indifferent. At the time, I thought that was maybe because she liked someone else. Hopefully me. But, now I'm not so sure. She definitely seems like she has taken an interest in him. It could be just because he got her into this whole rebellion. I hope that's why it is.

I was thinking about all this stuff while practicing with another girl I met at the training school. Her name was Jessica, and she had been here a while longer than I had. The teacher assigned us as duel partners, so we had to help each other train. At least going to school about a card game was a lot more fun than regular school.

"Daisuke...", she mumbled, but I wasn't paying attention. I was just lost in thought. Too many things were on my mind.

"Daisuke!", she shouted.

"Huh? What?", I asked, snapping out of my daze.

"It's your turn.", she told me, annoyed.

"Oh, right. Sorry.", I said, looking at my hand. I was preoccupied in thought, so it was hard for me to focus on making a move. We weren't using our Duel Disks at the time. We were just using these mats that they gave us. We sat down at one of the tables and started practicing, but we always kept our Duel Disks near us. That was one of the main rules we were taught, which was to always be prepared for an attack. This whole Rebellion was pretty serious business. Just as I was about to summon something, though, I saw someone fly overhead on a monster. Jessica looked up to it, and I turned around to look as well. And wouldn't you know it, it was Yuki!

"Hey! That's Yuki!", I called out, a smile coming across my face.

"...You know her?", Jessica asked.

"Yeah! We've been friends ever since we were kids!", I explained. I stood up, watching her fly off and feeling a bit of longing inside, even though there was happiness on the outside. I knew that she was probably busy, so she wouldn't have time to hang out with me. And I needed to brush up on my skills...but still. As I watched her fly, though, she suddenly stopped when someone came right towards her. The monster the other person was riding was a giant black bird, and based on the design, I could kind of tell what monster it was. It looked just like Latch's monster. Since there was obviously a guy on top of it, I had to assume it was him. It certainly looked like him. After they talked for a few seconds, I saw him fly past her, going the opposite direction. Once I got a better look, I was sure that it was him. He didn't seem to notice me, but I saw Yuki looking back my way. So, I waved my arms wide in the air, hoping she would see me. But...she just turned and flew right back towards Latch. She completely ignored me. Well...she probably just didn't see me. That...kind of hurt. But, I didn't hold it against her. It looked like whatever she was doing was super important.

Jessica must have seen the dejected expression on my face.

"Daisuke? Are you okay?", she asked, softly and with concern.

"Huh? Yeah...Yeah I'm fine.", I told her, trying to shake it off, "Let's get back to the game."

"Are you sure?", she asked.

"Yeah. Let's play.", I said.

"Are you sure you don't want to go after her?", she continued. That suggestion surprised me.

"What do you...?"

"You like her, don't you?"

"Well...yeah..."

"Then go get her. She looks like she's in a hurry. She might need your help." I paused, debating whether I should go or not. But, I remembered that Yuki once thanked me for always being there when she needed me. Now, it was time to keep that up. She probably needed all the support she could get right now.

"Thanks, Jessica.", I said, scooping up my cards from the table and grabbing the Duel Disk I was given. I loaded my deck, let the Duel Disk shuffle it, then drew my set of cards. By my second draw, I was able to summon Red Dragon Archfiend. Due to my quick work, Yuki and Latch were still in sight, so I was able to get my dragon to follow them.

Yuki...I wasn't satisfied sitting in the sidelines and letting you do this all alone anymore. I've been your friend forever, and friends are there for friends. If I wouldn't ever get to have my love reciprocated, then the least I could do was show you how much you mean to me by being there for you. Even though you've never returned my feelings, you've been the best friend I could ask for. I wasn't about to let that go just because I wanted more than friendship.

Just as they were about to enter the elevator, I had my dragon fly low to the ground and let me jump off.

"Wait up!", I called out to them.

"Daisuke!", Yuki exclaimed in surprise when she saw me.

"Ugh...not you, _too_...", Latch moaned.

"W-what?", I asked, not understanding his tone.

"Daisuke...we're going somewhere really dangerous. It's probably best if you stay behind.", Yuki said to me.

"No way.", I told her, with conviction, "I'm done letting you throw yourself into danger alone. You're my best friend. I'm not gonna just let you risk your life by yourself time and time again. I mean...I've always been there for you. Let me support you every once in awhile."

"Daisuke...", she muttered, taking on a more sad expression.

"If you're coming with us, then get in. We don't have a lot of time.", Latch ordered me.

"R-right!", I agreed, hopping into the elevator with them. Immediately after, Latch hit the button and we began going up. I took a deep breath, relaxing a bit now that I caught up.

"So, long time no see, huh?", I said to Yuki, smiling.

"...Yeah...", she said, looking away and holding her arm.

"...Yuki?", I asked, confused by her attitude. Why was she being so weird? Was it something that I said? Or maybe it was because we hadn't seen each other in a while?

"Daisuke...thank you.", she said, finally looking over at me, "Thank you for being so loyal, even though I've been totally ignoring you." So, that was why. I guess she was feeling guilty or something. I couldn't help but laugh.

"Don't worry about it!", I said, smiling brightly, "It's not like you've been intentionally avoiding me, right? So, no worries." After I said that, I felt her embrace me tightly. It was so sudden, I was swiftly thrown into confusion.

"Thank you, Daisuke. I'm really thankful for you. Truly.", she said, passionately.

"W-well...o-of course. Ahaha!", I said, flustered and thrown off. She was being so clingy and emotional. She had never been this affectionate with me before. It was...nice. I had no idea why she was acting like this. My hopes were saying that maybe she actually began to have feelings for me, but my senses were telling me that it must be something different. Either way...her warmth...her scent...they were really nice. It felt like it had been forever since we were this close. Overwhelmed with happiness, I hugged her tightly back. Yuki...I was going to protect her and be there for her, no matter what.

* * *

"It's useless! I detach an Xyz Material to negate your card effect! Continue your attack, Fateful King!", she countered. Her monster shot a blast of electricity from its right hand at my dragon, negating his ability and leaving him vulnerable. Then, he gripped his blade with both hands, spun around, and cleaved my dragon clean in half. The damage blew right through, dealing 700 damage to me.

"LP - 3300"

"When my Fateful King destroys a monster on your field, his effect destroys every other monster you control with attack equal to or less than the destroyed monster, then you take damage equal to the combined attack of all the destroyed monsters."

"But..that means-!"

"Since my king negated all other effects on the field, your Twin Headed Dragon can now be destroyed by card effects.", she told me, "It's over! Now, Fateful King! Iron Reign!"

I had nothing in my hand to prevent her from destroying him, I had no traps set, nothing in my Pendulum Zone, and all monster effects were negated. There was absolutely nothing I could do. I wracked my brain trying to think of some way to counter, but it was hopeless. Her king raised his hand into the air, causing a blast of fire to erupt from under my dragon, completely obliterating him and shattering him to pieces.

"My monsters!", I called out, horrified. With that, a burst of energy flew from my Dragon and impacted right into me, throwing me to the ground and depleting my Life Points completely.

"LP - 0"

I slowly pulled myself up to see Viviana approaching me.

"I told you before; you can't possibly defeat me.", she said, reaching down towards me, "Now it's time for you to give u-" Before she finished, I threw a punch straight into her gut, knocking the wind out of her and causing her to lean forward. Then, I followed up with a right uppercut straight to the chin, knocking her backwards and onto the ground. Dusting myself off and standing up, I scoffed at her, saying,

"Just because you beat me in a Duel doesn't mean I'll let you do whatever you want. I told you already, you're gonna have to kill me if you want me to give up on Kaiba."

She grunted in pain a bit, then began to pull herself up slowly.

"...I was...naive...", she said between gritted teeth, "But...you're not the only one...who knows how to fight." She got up off the ground and onto her feet, then took an offensive stance in retaliation. I responded in kind, preparing myself for a fight. In the Rebellion, we're taught that you can't always rely on your monsters. When the time comes that you don't have their support, you need to know how to defend yourself. We're all taught self-defense, and those of us who excel at it are given the chance to be taught advanced combat. Luckily, I was one of those people. My life of athletics paid off.

"You're not the only one who has fought in a war.", Viviana said, slowly approaching, "And all I need is one hit. One hit, and this whole confrontation is over."

"Oh yeah? You're that confident in your strength?", I asked.

"I don't need strength. It's my power that will end this.", she replied.

"Power...?"

"You wouldn't understand.", she told me, "It doesn't matter, anyway. Prepare yourself!"

She _was_ an immortal just like Kaiba, right? She said she had some kind of power...meaning that it might be something supernatural. If she was really an immortal, I don't doubt something like that could exist. If that was true and she really could end this with one hit, I would just need to not get hit, then.

She rushed at me, closing the distance with perfect form. It was obvious that she wasn't an amateur. But, I've always been super athletic. I was more than a match for her. She threw short jabs at me, but I was able to easily avoid them, throwing a few in return. To my surprise, though, she was almost just as agile. I was able to land a few hits in, but most of my attacks were missing. We were almost evenly matched.

We dodged around and attacked each other viciously, but we were having a hard time overcoming each other. I was slightly outclassing her, but just barely. She leaned forward and threw a punch straight at me, so I dodged back, then lunged forward to throw a straight jab. She lowered herself with great speed as I did, extending her leg towards me and delivering a strong surprise kick right into my side. While I was stunned by that, she recovered her stance, then grabbed me by the neck and forced me down onto the ground.

"It's over!", she shouted, a strange light beginning to emanate from her. She wasn't choking me, but she was holding me down to keep me from moving. When I saw the light coming off of her, a sudden sense of dread came over me. I had no idea what was about to happen, but I somehow intuitively knew that it was something that I wouldn't be able to overcome. Was this the "power" she was talking about?

" _Shirley!_ ", a voice shouted. Viviana quickly looked up behind me, and in a flash she was blasted backwards by a gust of wind, knocking her to the ground in front of me. Seizing the opportunity, I got up off the ground and looked back. Just as I did, I was embraced tightly by someone. I had no idea what was happening at first, but by their size and warmth...I could tell...it was Yuki!

"Shirley!", she cried, "Shirley, you're alright!"

"Y-Yuki?", I blurted, in total shock.

"Shirley! What the hell is going on?!", I heard Latch call, running towards me as well. Behind him was his Dark Simorgh; evidently the source of the wind blast. I saw a Blue-Eyes White Dragon as well. It must have been Yuki's.

"Latch! You're here too!", I exclaimed.

"Who was that lady? Why was she attacking you?", he asked.

"Oh! Right!", I said, realizing my whole point of coming here, "She's the one who stole Kaiba away! We have to rescue him!"

"What's going on here?!", another person shouted. Looking back towards Viviana...it was Kaiba!

"Kaiba!", I called out, gleefully.

" _That's_ Kaiba?!", Latch exclaimed, "Wait! Isn't he-!"

"This isn't the time, Latch!", I barked at him.

"Viviana! Are you alright?!", Kaiba shouted, running over to her side. He was...running to Viviana? But...she...wait...did he really decide to run away with her? Was this really his choice? Please...please tell me that it wasn't true.

"Shirley...", Yuki whispered, obviously knowing something that I didn't.

"W-what? What's going on?!", I asked her, frantically.

"Viviana...she...she rewrote his memories. He doesn't remember any of us.", she told me.

"She...what..?", I asked, in disbelief.

"I thinks he was about to do the same thing to you.", she continued. So...that was her power? The power to rewrite memories? Was she the only person who could do that? Or did other people have powers?

Viviana stirred, slowly rising and meeting Kaiba's eyes.

"Giorno...I'm fine...", she said, softly.

"What did you all do?!", he shouted at us.

* * *

The situation was looking pretty bad. As far as Yusuke was concerned, a bunch of random people just attacked his lover. He didn't know that we were really here to save him. But, now...now it was time to make my move. Discretely looking up at the rooftops, I saw Daisuke waiting in position just like I asked him to. He was waiting there just in case we needed some backup, and it looked like Viviana and Yusuke didn't notice him yet. Taking the opportunity, I calmly walked towards them both, making sure that I didn't seem hostile.

"Hey...you're that girl...", Yusuke said, remembering me from the other night.

"Yeah. This is a big misunderstanding.", I told him.

"Yuki...", Viviana muttered, sitting up.

"Viviana...I thought a lot about what you said. And...you're right. You were right about everything.", I told her, extending my hand, "I realize now that I've been making a huge mistake."

"Yuki?! What are you doing?!", Shirley yelled at me.

"So...you've finally come to your senses, huh?", Viviana asked, smiling at me.

"Yeah, and it's thanks to you.", I told her, smiling back. Taking my hand, I helped pull her up off the ground. Yusuke looked over at me with thankfulness, seeing that I wasn't the one trying to attack her.

"Viviana...I know that you don't agree with what they're doing, but they're also my friends. Do you think we could just let them go?", I asked her, referring to Latch and Shirley, "The Rebellion will fall apart eventually, right? There's no need for any more fighting."

"Yuki!", Shirley cried, but she was stopped by Latch grabbing her shoulder and whispering to her.

"Huh..?", she mumbled back to him.

"Latch, Shirley. Do you think you can leave peacefully? Viviana and Giorno...they're more than a match for both of you. I don't want anyone else getting hurt. Please?", I requested.

"But...", Shirley complained.

"Shirley...they're giving us the chance to walk away with our lives. Let's take it.", Latch told her.

"...Right.", she agreed.

"I'm glad you understand.", Viviana said to them, "I don't want to have to take another human life."

"So...are you alright?", Yusuke asked her.

"Yes, I'm fine.", she said back to him.

"Good. Thank you, Yuki.", Yusuke said, looking directly at me. And with that...I seized my opportunity. Looking straight into his eyes, I focused my will on erasing that curse of his. As soon as I did, I saw his eyes glow yellow as well, and that same golden eye symbol appeared on his forehead. It was working.

"Yuki? What's...Wait...What are you-", Viviana stuttered, looking back to see what I was doing, "You're using...an ability?!" Immediately after she said that, I heard a shattering sound, and the glow in Yusuke's eyes faded, the symbol disappearing as well. Then, his soft, surprised expression changed. Once again, I saw the return of his serious, determined eyes. Yusuke...he was back!

"...Yusuke?", I asked, hopefully. Without another word, he quickly stepped back, creating a distance between him and Viviana.

"I'm sorry, Viviana.", he said to her.

"Giorno?! Wait, what did you just-?!", Viviana spat, turning to look at me.

"As for _you!_ ", I said, looking directly into her eyes and activating my power once again. If what Vulpes said was true, I was now in possession of Yusuke's power. If so, then I knew exactly what I was going to use it for. Viviana's eyes locked with mine as if trapped, and the golden eye appeared on her forehead just like Yusuke. Her expression froze, and I activated the power I borrowed from Yusuke.

"Viviana! I hereby command you!", I said with great force, " _Never_ use your power _again!_ " With those words, her eyes glowed a bright golden color, and she replied in monotone,

"As you wish." Then, a moment later, her trance stopped, and she snapped back into her mindset. She took on an angry expression, then quickly lunged at me and placed her hand on my forehead.

"I didn't want to have to do this, Yuki, but you leave me no choice!", she barked. But, just as she was about to use her power, her eyes lit up once more and the symbol appeared on her forehead. Her eyes widened and she froze in shock as she realized what was going on.

"I...I can't..."

"That's right. You can't use your power anymore.", I said, swatting her hand from my head and stepping back.

"But...I just...", she stuttered, falling down to her knees in shock.

"Good intentions don't justify evil actions.", I said to her, then turning to Yusuke, "Right?"

"Viviana...", he said, walking over to her and bending down.

"Giorno...I'm...I just wanted...", she whimpered, holding back tears.

"I know.", he said, taking on his sympathetic and understanding tone that he only seemed to use with her, "I appreciate the thought...but...I can't just abandon my Rebellion. Not now." Tears began to come to her eyes and she shrunk down even more.

"Giorno..."

"I'm sorry, Viviana. But, I will come back to you. So, just wait for me. I'll build us the world that we've always wanted.", he assured her.

"Freeze! Hands in the air!", we heard shouts come from around us. Surrounding us on both sides of the street were groups of Security officers, all pointing their guns at us. Latch and Shirley turned around to see that they were being held at gunpoint, and the officers behind Yusuke and I were staring at us down their sights as well.

"Get down on the ground!", they ordered.

"Yuki!", Daisuke called. From the rooftops came blasts of fire, completely obliterating the Security forces behind Yusuke and I. The officers behind Latch and Shirley took their focus off of them, then aimed at Daisuke. Before they could shoot though, Latch turned towards them and commanded his Dark Simorgh.

"Dark Simorgh! Shadow Gale!", he called. His monster flew up, then shot a blast of dark wind at them, knocking them all off of their feet and throwing them to the other side of the street. Following up, I ordered my Blue-Eyes that was waiting back there as well.

"Blue-Eyes! Burst Stream of Destruction!" My Dragon lifted his head, charging a ball of white lightning, then unleashing it on the officers and erasing them into dust. It seemed that at this point...I no longer had any trouble doing things like this. This was now just a part of being in the Rebellion. These guys were the enemy. Even if they were human beings...they were an obstacle we had to overcome. Looking down, I saw Viviana's horrified expression.

"How could you just..."

"This is just a part of war. You can't win a war without sacrificing some lives.", I told her, calling my Blue-Eyes over to me, "Come on, Yusuke. Let's get out of here."

"Viviana...I promise, I'll-", he began.

"No...I can't accept this. If the world we dreamed off has to come at such cost...then I don't want any part of it!", she yelled at him. He stepped back slightly, visibly shocked at her refusal. She stood up slowly, then pulled up her Duel Disk and looked as if she were prepared to fight.

"The Giorno I know...would never take the lives of innocents so easily.", she said, getting angry, "Until you give up this horrible vision of yours...then I want nothing to do with you!" Seeing the tears in her eyes and hearing her shaky voice, it was clear that she didn't mean what she was saying. She was hopelessly in love with Yusuke, and she knew that he just wanted the best for her. I don't thinks he could hate him that easily. She just wanted to try and persuade him one last time. It didn't work, though.

Yusuke sighed and backed up slowly, bowing his head to her and saying,

"Then I hope you'll come to forgive me when this is all over. This is just something I have to do." She didn't respond to that. She merely looked down at the ground, still holding her Duel Disk at the ready.

"Just get out of here...", she said, painfully. I guess he made his choice. Yusuke looked over at me sadly, then nodded. I climbed onto my Blue-Eyes, then allowed him to join me. Shirley got onto Latch's Dark Simorgh with him, and Daisuke got onto his Dragon. When we were all ready, we took off into the sky, flying back towards the elevator to the underground.

Latch and Shirley flew up next to us, Shirley with tears in her eyes and Latch with a serious expression.

"You're Yusuke Tachibana, aren't you?", Latch asked him.

"Some people call me that, but that isn't my true identity. I'll explain it to you when we return to base. It's about time I tell you.", Yusuke said.

"Kaiba...I'm so happy to see you again!", Shirley said, lightly crying.

"Likewise, Shirley.", she said, smiling at her gently. She giggled, overwhelmed with emotion.

"We caused a lot of destruction down there, though.", Daisuke said, flying up next to us as well, "Is that going to be a problem?"

"We'll see.", Yusuke said, "But we'll deal with whatever comes our way."

We did it...we got Yusuke back. And now...our mission could continue.

* * *

"Is everything in place?", he asked the man next to him.

"Yes, Mr. President.", the man replied, reading a holopad, "All systems are go, and energy output levels are optimal."

"And the bombs?"

"Ready to be detonated on command."

"How many citizens were we able to evacuate?"

"Roughly eighty-seven percent of the populace, sir, excluding Dominion agents."

"Is that all we're really capable of? Is there no more we can do?"

"I'm sorry, sir, but we've done all we can. Those who are left behind refused shelter on their own volition. They understood the consequences."

"Did they...?"

"...Sir?"

"Nothing. Prepare to launch. And may god forgive us for taking the lives of those who stayed behind."

"Yes, sir.", the man finished, walking away briskly. The President sighed heavily, deeply conflicted about their actions, yet knowing that it was necessary. Steeling his soul and saying a prayer for forgiveness, he made his way to the research area to begin the operation and witness the events that were about to unfold.

"Archimedes, is everything ready to go?", the President asked.

"As I've mentioned previously, Mr. President: Please just call me Archie.", he replied, bowing jestingly.

"This is no time for frivolity, Archimedes. Please, just tell me what I need to know.", he replied, seriously.

"Hmmm, yes yes. Everything is ready to go.", Archie said, disappointed at the President's lack of ease.

"And the amount of damage?", he asked.

"Massive. Cataclysmic, in fact. It's very unlikely anyone will survive. Luckily for us, that means the Dominion will be wiped out as well.", he informed him, "The country will be uninhabitable for a very long time. That shouldn't be a problem, though. Not with the USS Liberty, anywho. She'll keep us safe and defended for quite some time, I'm sure."

"How far will we need to go to be out of the damage radius?"

"Three steps ahead of you, sir. I've already taken the liberty of bringing us to just the right distance. The Atlantic Ocean gives quite a lot of room for error, after all. As soon as you give the order, we can detonate the silos and take off into the sky.", he told him.

"And the offshore shelters?", the President continued.

"Safe and sound. Our citizens will be able to stay there indefinitely, in theory. But, once we find somewhere to settle, they can be retrieved en masse whenever necessary.", Archie assured him. The President sighed once more, looking at the display screens in front of him with concern.

"Oh, no need to worry, sir. We're practically untouchable in this ship. The USS Liberty is the first of her kind. Decades in the making. The greatest investment our great country has ever made.", he added.

"It's not us I'm worried about. It's the people we're leaving behind..."

"Hmm...well, we'll just have to win this war so that their sacrifices aren't in vain.", Archie commented, trying to be more sympathetic, "As long as we catch them off guard, we'll be able to win this war."

"I hope you're right, Archimedes...I hope you're right..."

"...Shall we begin?", Archie asked. The President clenched his fist and swallowed hard, finally coming to terms with what he had to do.

"...Do it.", he ordered.

"Right-o. You heard him, fellas! Detonate those silos! Blow them sky high!", he called out, almost gleefully. With that command, their plan was set in motion. The hidden missile silos across the United States, now occupied by the Dominion, were simultaneously detonated underground. All across the country, the Earth tremored and split. The land was torn apart, quaking to the core. Volcanoes exploded angrily and fiercely, forcing molten material and smoke far into the air.

Prior to this, the citizens of the country were secretly evacuated into offshore, underwater shelters, designed to house and sustain hundreds of thousands of humans indefinitely. They were to remain there while the attack was launched and be retrieved once new land was found to settle. The leaders and military of the once great nation boarded the USS Liberty; A top secret, highly advanced megacarrier designed for deep sea and air travel. It was the most advanced warship in history, and it would the United States's ace in the hole.

These conditions and preparations had been underway ever since the Dominion had taken control of Japan, with America fearing what could potentially happen should the Dominion gain too much power. After decades of work and preparation, their plan was finally set into motion. A drastic and strategic plan to cripple the Dominion in the west, then strike their eastern territory immediately after. A surprise attack that they would never see coming. Their ultimate goal was to totally annihilate the Dominion, or, if possible, force them to unconditionally surrender. Despite the chaotic and reckless nature of this plan, it was potentially the best plan of action against the world-spanning Domino Dominion. However, the cost, to some, was far too great.


	27. Rising Action (Season 2 Premier)

**A/N: Thanks for being so patient, everyone. Lots of things got in the way of production, but on the positive side, it gave me a bit more time to plan things out. While this series was initially planned to be an even 50 chapters, it will most likely be longer than that. From now on, a new chapter will be released biweekly (every other Monday). Thanks again, and I hope you enjoy the new season of the Duelist Rebellion.**

* * *

"You're...immortal..." Latch mumbled, deep in thought.

After we came back from the fight with Viviana, Yusuke brought Shirley, Latch, and I to his home, then explained everything to us. His history with Viviana, everything that had happened since he left the other night, and the powers that were granted to them. Back when Yusuke first told Shirley and I everything about himself, we were rather stunned. But when he told Latch...it was like he knew all along. Maybe he didn't _know_ , but he suspected something of the sort. Still; a lot of it sounded plain unbelievable. A god granting supernatural powers and immortality? Being over 300 years old, but still looking 18? I had a hard time coming to terms with it at first, but Latch...he just listened. He thought deeply about everything, collecting it all. Then, when Yusuke was finally done, he replied,

"...I see. That explains a lot..."

"You're taking it pretty well," I noted.

"Yeah...I guess I just always knew that he was hiding something," he responded, "Not that I didn't trust you, Kaiba. I figured you had your reasons for not telling me. Besides, no matter who you really are, it doesn't change any of the things you did for all of us. You gave a lot of people hope and purpose when they had none left."

"That doesn't excuse it," Yusuke said, "You've been a loyal comrade and friend for years. I should have told you sooner." Latch didn't respond to that comment. He probably agreed, but didn't want to rub it in. The atmosphere was already pretty intense, and all of us were a bit on edge. None of us wanted to make the situation any worse. Yusuke was obviously feeling guilty about the fact that he kept it from Latch, but Latch seemed to be okay with it. He had a point, after all. Regardless of who he was, he had done so much for everyone. He's already deserving of their trust.

"Well, I know now. That's all that matters. But, what about everyone else? The rest of the Rebellion still has no idea who you are," Latch asked, "Are you planning on telling them?"

"For now, I'll keep the secret from the rest of them. I know the three of you well enough to trust that you'll understand. I can't be sure of everyone else, though," Yusuke reasoned.

"I think that's probably for the best, too," Shirley agreed, "I know there's some people in the Rebellion that wouldn't believe your story. They'd only focus on the fact that you're a Tachibana, since that's all they can really confirm. Since the Tachibana family is an ally to the Dominion, you'd be seen as a traitor. The whole Rebellion would probably fall apart..."

"But, why? It still doesn't change anything he's done," I argued.

"They could easily interpret it as some kind of ploy for the Dominion's benefit. For all they know, I could turn around and betray them all, giving them up to the Dominion. For now, we'll continue our operation with my identity hidden from them," he confirmed, "We have more pressing matters, anyway. I understand we have new recruits?"

"...Oh...Yeah! That's right!" Latch blurted. I hadn't heard of anything about new recruits, but I had seen more people around once we got back to the city. A few of them were wearing outfits I had never seen before. I figured that they were just our regulars in different uniforms or something, but I guess I was wrong. From what Latch explained, they were called the Vengeful Shinobi, and were holdouts from Japan's war with the Dominion. They still held on to the old Japanese way of life, and they had even more knowledge of Japan's past than Kaiba (according to Latch, at least.) If that was the case, then maybe I could take some time and talk to them. I'd definitely like to know more about my heritage.

"That brings our member count to over one thousand," Latch finished, "That means we're ready to strike, right?"

"I'd like to meet these Vengeful Shinobi first. Then, we need to make sure everyone is properly equipped, lay out the plans of attack, etcetera," Yusuke explained, "The worst thing we can do at this point is rush recklessly. We've gathered all the necessary pieces, but if we go in before we're completely prepared, it will be for nothing."

"Right...that makes sense..." Latch agreed, "I guess I was just a bit eager to finally attack. It's been a long time coming, you know?"

"I understand your zeal, but discretion is the better part of valor. We will move forward in due time, but we've come too far to lose everything to impatience," he advised. After he said that, Shirley sighed deeply. Not a sad sigh, but a happy, relieved one. Once again, her adorable, warm smile crossed her face. I understood why. Just hearing Yusuke speak that way...hearing his brilliant, analytical speech...it really drove home the fact that he was really back. He returned safely to us.

"It's good to have you back, Kaiba," she said to him, almost as if she were resisting the urge to hug him.

"Thank you, Shirley. It's good to be back," he replied, "Now before I do anything else, I wanted to speak with Yuki. Alone, if you don't mind."

"M-me?" I asked, thrown off by his sudden declaration.

"Yes. Shirley, Latch; if you would be so kind," he said, glancing at them.

"You got it," Shirley agreed with a smile and nod. Latch nodded as well, then both of them got in the elevator and left. After watching them leave, I was suddenly stricken with a feeling akin to embarrassment. Maybe it was because I was all alone with Yusuke in his room, or maybe it was because I was afraid of what he'd say. I thought that maybe he would be mad at me for what I did to Viviana. I did kinda brainwash her and force her to never use her power again. I told her that she didn't have the right to brainwash people...but then went right ahead and did it to her, sort of...thinking about it like that, I could understand why he'd be mad. Actually...I felt kind of ashamed of myself.

"You have an ability now, don't you?" he asked, after a brief silence.

"...Yeah," I confirmed, looking at the ground and avoiding eye contact.

"That means you met the man I spoke of?"

"Well...I'm pretty sure. He said that he gave you and Viviana your powers. Since he gave me mine...I guess it must be true."

"Hm..." Yusuke pondered, "The power he gave you seems to be some kind of nullifier, but it also allows you to borrow the power from other ability users. Am I wrong?"

"No. You're exactly right," I told him. He paused in thought, then walked across the room we were in and through a doorway without another word. I didn't really know what he was doing, but I assumed he wanted me to follow him. When I walked over to the doorway and looked inside, I saw him removing his shirt. Unlike the first time I saw him undress, I wasn't entranced by his attractive body this time. It wasn't hard for me to look the other way and give him privacy, not that I wasn't interested. I guess I just felt like I knew him well enough for me not to be hopelessly enamored.

"So, about why I needed to speak with you alone..." he mentioned.

"Ah...yes?" I replied.

"Tell me. How long has it been since you've seen Iroha? Her spirit, I mean," he asked. Now that he mentioned it...I hadn't seen her in quite a while. Not since my first interaction with Viviana, if I remember correctly. I wonder what happened to her...

"The last time I saw her...had to be at least a couple days ago."

"For a while now, I haven't been able to make contact with any of the Duel Spirits. If you're unable to as well...then something might be awry," he suggested.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. It's probably nothing to be concerned about at this very moment, but I'd like to keep it in mind. Be sure to tell me if you make contact with any Duel Spirits."

"Okay," I agreed.

"Also, I'd like you and Daisuke to stay underground until next week," he added, "You caused quite a stir in your efforts to rescue me. It would be best if you stayed here while the heat dies down."

"But...what about school? And our parents?"

"I'll take care of it." I didn't really know _how_ he would take care of it, but I didn't feel like I should question him. He always found a way to get things done, and I know he wouldn't do anything bad. He continued to get dressed in his bedroom while I waited patiently. I didn't really know what else he wanted me there for, but there was a bit of silence as I stood there.

"...I'm sorry," I said to him, after a few seconds.

"For what?" he asked as he was getting himself together.

"What I did to Viviana..." I replied, meekly.

"...It was a necessary measure," he reasoned.

"...Was it..?" I asked, not completely convinced.

"Even if it wasn't, we can't change a decision once it has been made," he told me, "We can only deal with the consequences of our actions as they come."

"...Was that supposed to make me feel better?" I asked, smiling sadly.

"I'm just trying to give you some insight, is all," he finished, walking out of the room in his combat armor, "There are no wrong decisions in life. Regardless of the choices we make, we continue to march ever onward into the future, and our history is forever changed because of it. We can only make a choice and face the resulting future, head on." He went straight past me and over to a desk that had a terminal on it. He pressed a few buttons and stared at the screen intently, obviously very focused. I figured I should leave him be, but I wanted to ask him something else.

"Yusuke?" I called.

"What is it?" he responded.

"What are we going to do next? I mean, once we're prepared, what'll be our first step?"

"Getting the public on our side."

"How would we do that? Why would we need to, anyway?"

"We're going to completely rid this world of the Dominion. Unless we want people rising up against us in their name, we need to prove without a shadow of a doubt that our cause is just. To do that, we need to expose them for who they really are, and I already know how we'll do that," he explained. He still didn't say exactly how, but he seemed to have a plan in mind. I trusted him, so I didn't feel the need to question him further. Doubting him at this point would be doubting myself.

"Alright, then," I accepted. But, without really thinking, I just blurted something else out.

"And just so you know...no matter what happens...I'll always be by your side." Yusuke seemed surprised to hear me say that for a moment, but quickly recovered.

"Thank you, Yuki. I'll be counting on you." After nodding and saying goodbye, I quickly called the elevator and got inside, pressing the button to go to the bottom floor.

Why did I say that? It was almost like I was confessing to him or something...I promised myself that I would help Shirley. Shirley's liked him a lot longer than me. I need to support her. I can't go and hunt after the guy she's been chasing all this time...even though I like him as well. Besides...he's still in love with Viviana. If Shirley can't beat her, then I don't stand a ghost of a chance. The whole reason Yusuke started this Rebellion was for Viviana's sake...there's just no way...

* * *

 _One Week Later..._

* * *

It was a pretty huge change, spending all our time underground. We would go to the surface regularly to let our eyes adjust to the sunlight, but we would stay out of the public eye and remain near our territory. After only a few days, I was really beginning to miss my Mom. I didn't realize how hard it would be to be away from her for so long. But, Daisuke did his best to keep me comfortable, as did Shirley and Latch. We all spent a lot of time together, chatting, learning more about each other, dueling for fun and practicing our skills. Every now and then, I'd visit Yusuke just to see how he was doing, but most of the time he was busy. For days at a time, he would lock himself in his room, only coming out if necessary. It was to be expected of a rebellion leader...but I still felt bad. I was constantly encouraging Shirley, all the while lusting after Yusuke myself. I visited him behind her back...made subtle advances...I felt like a horrible person, but I couldn't help it. It was just how I felt.

One day after talking with him, I left his room and reached the bottom floor to find Daisuke waiting patiently for me by the door. When he noticed me, he got a big smile and ran over to me, only making me feel worse. Here I am, falling in love with Yusuke, whom I've known for such a short time. But Daisuke's been with me since we were kids, patiently waiting for a chance to be with me...and I just ignored him. I can't really change how I feel...but it still makes me feel guilty. It stacked on top of the guilt I felt for sneaking around behind Shirley's back and using my power hypocritically...and just made me feel like an even worse person.

"You've got that worried look again. What's wrong?" he asked me, seeing my dejected expression. I didn't even notice I was making that kind of face. It just kind of...happened. I wasn't surprised, though. With the way I was feeling...

"I guess...with everything that's going on right now, I just feel a little overwhelmed. Not to mention homesick," I told him, sighing.

"Yeah...I can imagine..." he mumbled, sympathetically, "You've been through a lot recently, and we haven't been home in a while."

"Yeah," I sighed again, feeling a bit tired from everything that happened, "What about you? Are you okay?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Well...you did kill some officers just the other day. I figured you'd be a little shaken up," I noted.

"Hmm...I guess I am...but I know that it was necessary," he replied, smiling awkwardly. Necessary...

Daisuke shuffled around a bit as I stood there, collecting my thoughts. I really had been through a lot recently. It's only been a short time, but I've already experienced so many things in this rebellion. Yusuke did warn me about all this...and I still went for it. I don't have any regrets or anything...but I just wish things could have been different. I wish I didn't have to fight with Viviana over Yusuke. I wish that Yusuke could just forget about her and move on. I wish that nobody had to fight anymore...but that wasn't realistic. The whole point of this rebellion is to fight against Domino. There's no other way around it. This was war.

"Hey..." Daisuke called quietly. I didn't answer at first. I was kind of lost in my thoughts. When he called a second time, I responded.

"Hm? Sorry. I was a bit distracted," I told him.

"Well...you know...we never _did_ go to the arcade. Remember?" he asked. I didn't know what he was talking about at first, but after searching my memories a bit, it came back to me. It felt like it happened so long ago...even though it was less than a month. The thought of that, for some reason, made me laugh.

"W-what's so funny?" Daisuke asked, acting embarrassed. I sighed, catching my breath and calming down.

"It's nothing," I replied, smiling again, "It's just...that sounds like fun. I'd like that."

"Oh, alright! Ahaha...I thought I said something weird!" he laughed. In that moment, I remembered just how important Daisuke was to me. Always...he had always been there for me. He always supported me and cheered me up in my times of need. And this whole time...I had been neglecting him, chasing after someone I just met on a whim. When I thought of it that way, I was overwhelmed with a guilty, but thankful feeling towards him. So, I unconsciously walked forward and wrapped my arms around him tightly.

"Thank you...Daisuke," I said, softly, "For always being there for me, no matter how crazy the situation. I don't know what I'd do without you." At that comment, he was silent for a moment. But, then he wrapped his arms around me as well, embracing me in return.

"It's because...I want to," he confessed, "You know, Yuki..."

When he began his sentence like that, I knew what was coming, but I decided I would just let him say it. I had been avoiding it for years now...and with this war...he might never get to say it. If I died...or if he died...I didn't want him to have any regrets. Even if I didn't feel the same way...I wanted to give him the chance.

"What is it, Daisuke?" I replied, sweetly. He hesitated. He swallowed hard, then took a deep breath. I was pretty sure that he would say it...but...

"I'm really thankful for you, too," he told me. Even though I was expecting something else, I wasn't exactly surprised. He was extremely important to me, but I wasn't in love with him. I'm pretty sure he knew, so he didn't want to say what he really felt. It didn't seem like he was afraid of rejection, though. It was more like he wanted to respect my feelings and not make it awkward for me. That was so typical of him...putting my feelings first all the time...

"Having someone to care for has really made my life a lot better," he added, "So...don't thank me. It's equally as rewarding for me, okay?" We let go of each other, our eyes locking as we stood together. His eyes were different than usual. Instead of relaxed and care free, he looked extremely focused and serious. It was an interesting change from the usual. He looked...cool.

"You know...you can be pretty cool sometimes, when you get serious," I commented, laughing a bit.

"Yeah well...it's kind of a drag to be serious all the time," he noted, returning to his normal attitude "A-anyways, let's get going. I could use some normalcy for a change." I nodded in agreement. The atmosphere was a little too intimate for me at the time. I think we both were getting a little uncomfortable.

"Right. Let's go!" I replied, cheerfully. So, Daisuke and I made our way across the city and to the elevator. Even though I was a part of this rebellion...I decided for myself that I deserved a little break. Yusuke told us that we were to stay underground - but that was a week ago already. Our time here was up for now, right? He didn't confirm it...but...I guess I would just make an executive decision. Daisuke and I didn't fly on our monsters, we just made our way there on foot. We took the time to talk and catch up, and during that time, I felt like everything was back to the way it was before. Before I got into the rebellion. Before I really got to know Yusuke. Back when I didn't have a care in the world...

"Y-Yuki?! What's wrong?! Are you okay?!" Daisuke panicked.

"What do you mean?" I asked, turning to him. As soon as I turned my head though, I felt a tear run down my face. Without realizing it, I had started to tear up. I didn't know why, but maybe it was just because of the peaceful nostalgia. It was something that I felt like I had lost because of the rebellion. I guess because of all the action that was constantly surrounding me, I didn't really consider what I was losing by getting thrown into all this. I was so focused on this new, exciting thing...

"I'm fine," I told him, "Just...nostalgia, I guess." Daisuke still had a concerned look on his face. He didn't seem convinced that I was really alright. After everything that's happened...I must be really tired. I'm getting so emotional. I can't even stop myself from tearing up over something so simple. Maybe I've been pushing myself too hard. Considering how new I am to this, I've really been through some intense things. Actually, I've probably experienced more action and drama in the rebellion than in the rest of my life combined...so, maybe I shouldn't give myself such a hard time for getting overwhelmed like this.

Yeah...I just need to enjoy myself for a while. Relax.

I know for certain that I can't keep pushing myself so hard.


	28. Sorrows of the Star-Crossed

I can't let things go on like this...can I? Giorno is determined to see his mission through...but...

Giorno...why? Why do you continue to pursue this dream of yours? All this destruction...fighting...murder...and for what? Is the kind of world you're fighting for really worth it all? If you're willing to leave me behind until it's done...to spill all this blood...am I just too sensitive? Am I unable to grasp the idea of this world you're hoping to create because I'm focused on the cost? The goal...No...no, I'm not like them. Those who think the ends always justify the means. Those kinds of people are the reason why the Dominion began expanding. Don't you see that, Giorno? Fighting them like this...taking such extreme measures to achieve your goal...you're no different from them! Why can't you see that?

Giorno and I...we had always been together. For our entire lives. No matter what decisions either of us made...we understood our reasons. We trusted each other...understood each other. But now...How could we have drifted so far apart like this? Why can't we understand each other anymore? How could our trust and love...fall apart like this? Was our love really so weak that being separated for all these years would tear us apart? Could we really have forgotten what we mean to each other?

...They say nothing lasts forever, don't they? I still love Giorno. He loves me in return. Time hasn't worn our feeling for each other. But our understanding of each other has changed...or maybe...it's Giorno that has changed. If that's the case...is he really still the person that I fell in love with? Can I still love him if he becomes the very kind of evil we fought against? What...am I supposed to do...?

"What, indeed," a mocking voice replied, as if reading my thoughts. I quickly turned around in my seat to see a suspicious man leaning against the kitchen counter. The door was locked, and I would have certainly heard someone entering the house. Besides that, he would have had to cross in front of me to get where he was. He just...appeared. I had no idea how to react to this person, but in a brief flash, I recognized him. Not from my memories, but from Giorno's. I realized at the same time that, despite Yuki blocking me from using my powers, I still retained the memories I witnessed from others. This was the man...the man who turned us against each other in the first place. The one who doomed us to eternal life, and granted us these powers.

"You..." I mumbled angrily, standing up and taking a defensive stance.

"Whoa, now! Why the hostility?" he said, sarcastically.

"What do you want?" I asked in a commanding tone.

"I just thought I'd come and give you a little help, is all!" he smiled, wickedly.

"Like the last time? No thank you," I retorted, "Because of you...because of your heinous actions, Giorno and I were torn apart. You're a monster."

"My dear Viviana! I am shocked and appalled that that is your opinion of me! I merely came here to give you some encouragement. Is that really so bad?" he replied.

"Is that right?" I asked, unconvinced, "And exactly what kind of 'encouragement' are you trying to give me?" When I asked that, the man strolled across the room and over to the table, pulling out a chair and sitting down, folding one leg over the other.

"Are you really okay with letting Giorno do whatever he wants?" he asked, dropping his snide tone and becoming more serious.

"...What else am I supposed to do?" I replied.

"You already know, don't you?" he answered, "Join the Dominion's side."

"You're saying I should fight against him? What good would that do?"

"Do that, and you can create a future for the both of you. You can return to how things were," he suggested.

"...I...don't think that's possible anymore..." I admitted, quietly, "Giorno...he's changed. He's completely devoted to his rebellion, and he won't stop until he gets what he's after..."

"It _is_ possible. I've seen it. The future I speak of."

"You've...seen it?"

"I gave you and Giorno your powers, didn't I? I can do a lot more than that. I can see every possible future, and every outcome of any action," he revealed, "...would you like to see?"

"See what?" I questioned, still not trusting him.

"The future I'm telling you about. A future where you and Giorno are living in peace," he explained, extending his hand, "Take my hand, and you'll see."

I wasn't sure. I didn't trust this man; This man who tore Giorno and I apart. I had no reason to believe him or give him a chance, as this could very easily be a trap. But, somehow...I found myself unconsciously extending my hand to meet his. I didn't understand my own actions at the time, but it seemed my heart was taking control. If he was capable of showing me such a thing...if a future like that was really possible...I suppose I had already made my decision in my mind. I wasn't sure what would happen, since I never directly interacted with this man. But, if he had the ability to give people immortality, I'm sure he could show people visions. When I touched his hand, my vision instantly blacked out. I felt like I was being transported to another place, rather than being shown a simple vision. I felt my body moving, as if it were flying through the air at incredible speed. Then, I heard a voice.

"Viviana? Viviana, are you okay?"

When my vision returned to me, I was looking up at Giorno.

"Giorno...you're here..." I mumbled, slightly confused.

"Yes, I'm right here," he said with a smile. When I raised my head and looked around, I saw we were sitting at a table in front of a shop. I didn't quite know where I was for a moment, but it only took looking at the shop's sign for me to understand. This shop...Giorno and I would always come here as children. It was a bakery, passed down a family line for generations. Every Friday after school, we would come into town and eat some pastries from this place...it was so nostalgic. Realizing where I must have been, I turned my head and looked all around me. It was...my homeland...but...rebuilt. It was no longer the wartorn ruin that it used to be. It had been restored to its former glory...just like Alexis had said.

The large, beautiful architecture our city was known for had been reconstructed flawlessly, and the flora that gave it color was in full bloom. I was awestruck. To see my homeland rebuilt from a monitor was reassuring, but seeing it in person was overwhelming. I was almost brought to tears from sheer joy. It was the happiest I had been in ages. Back in a familiar place, side by side with Giorno, smiling. This..was true happiness. I wanted to stay like this forever. The fact that this was merely a vision escaped me at the moment.

"Auntie Vivi!" a young girl's voice called. The voice sounded familiar, but I knew that it couldn't possibly be who I thought it was. However, as I directed my sights towards the source of the call, the impossible seemed to become reality. It was...Karin!

"Oh, hello there, Karin," Giorno said, smiling at her.

"Hi, Uncle Gio!" she smiled brightly. Auntie Viviana...Uncle Gio...wait! Karin...is alive? How...how could this be?

"Where's Max and Naota?" Giorno asked her.

"They're back home," she told us, "I asked if they wanted to come, but they decided to stay."

"You're...alive..." I mumbled, finally forming words. Completely overcome with a mixture of sadness and happiness, tears began to fall down my face as I dropped down and embraced Karin tightly.

"Y-yeah...I am!" she exclaimed, obviously very confused.

"Viviana? Did you have a bad dream or something?" Giorno asked me, not understanding my behavior. How...how was all this possible? This world...this future...it was so perfect. But...it didn't seem possible. This is what would result if I joined the Dominion? This kind of perfect future?

"Exactly," the man from before called out. As I opened my eyes to look around, I saw that I was no longer holding Karin. I was no longer in Italia...I returned to the present. Or...something like that. I was staring at the ground, pausing in deep thought.

There was no way...no way all that was possible. He was just trying to trick me. He was trying to get me to cause more turmoil and conflict. Such a perfect future was impossible...I couldn't let myself fall for sweet illusions like that in favor of reality. But...why was I so eager to commit evil in order to give myself a chance at that seemingly impossible future? Why was I so hopeful in the face of something so absurdly impossible?

"Do you know what 'necessary evil' is, Viviana?" he asked me. I looked up, still in a daze, but I didn't respond.

"In times like these, you must be willing to commit evil acts to prevent an even worse outcome that would result from inaction," he explained, "If you want that future, you can have it. You only need to be willing to fight for it."

"So...that's the future I can..." I mumbled.

"Do you think that's a future worth fighting for?" he replied.

"...how is all that even possible? Karin died. You're saying that if I join the fight, I'll be able to bring back the dead?" I asked.

"I won't explain how it works, but just know that it works," he told me, "Now, I'll leave you with that in mind. Ultimately, it's up to you to choose. I thought I'd just give you a little push is all."

"Wait!" I shouted. But, to my dismay, I was too late. Looking over in his direction, I saw that he was already gone. I couldn't stop him from leaving. I had so many more questions...but...he had shown me something that could not be ignored. A future...such a beautiful future...filled with happiness and hope. A peaceful world beside Giorno...the one we had dreamed of. Even though I was certain that such a thing was impossible, for some infuriating reason, my heart simply wouldn't allow me to ignore it. I swore...I swore that I wouldn't ever take another human life. If I were to break that oath, I would be just as bad as any other murderer.

Still...why can't I shake this desire...?

* * *

I sat at my terminal, going over the plans I had set up for our first public operation. However, I wasn't focused on the plans, really. Something else was on my mind.

" _Until you give up this horrible vision of yours...then I want nothing to do with you!_ "

That's what she said...

Can't she see that I'm doing this for her? For us both? This is the future we dreamed of. From the moment we took up arms against the Dominion years ago, we cast aside our pacifistic lifestyle in favor of war against injustice. She should understand that...so why? I don't care if she stays out of combat, but why can't she understand my mission? Who or what was it that changed her? Was it the Dominion? Did they brainwash her while she was held captive? Or...has she just changed on her own...?

Regardless...I've planned around that now. Soon enough, Viviana won't have to worry about me anymore. She can go on to live a normal life. A peaceful life. To that end, I must continue, regardless of her personal feelings...regardless of my methods...this is the only way. I've come too far to stop now. I've accomplished too much. We finally have a force strong enough to confront the Dominion in direct combat. Granted, it is only large enough to strike at their Japanese settlement. Should the rest of their territories join the battle...we would need reinforcements or a strong defensive line. Because of that, we need to topple this area first, take over their fortifications, and dig in. Then, we can rally the people around us, letting them join our cause. Even without taking over the entire country...we should be able to hold our ground here. Our top priority is winning the support of the people during our debut. We can't have any insurrections, now.

That is merely the short term goal, though. My plan for the long term will change depending on how this first plan concludes. If Viviana would have joined us, our power would have grown exponentially, making even our long term goal far easier. However, her refusal to cooperate won't affect the rest of the operation. Her survival was an unexpected variable, but it's fortunate that she's decided to stay out of the fight. If she would have continued to side with the Dominion...the balance of power would surely have shifted. Even so, I'll have to form some sort of countermeasure, just in case. She is actively against combat, but this is no time for carelessness. Success depends on forethought, and I will not fail. I can't fail. Not now...

Damn it...

...Viviana...

"Master Kaiba?" a voice called from my terminal. By the sound of their voice, I could tell it was someone from communications who had been with us for some time. Keima was his name, if I'm not mistaken.

"...What is it?" I responded, restraining my current frustration.

"We're receiving a strange transmission on an open channel. It's someone asking for you," he told me.

"Standard protocol covers this situation. You shouldn't need to contact me for direction," I sighed.

"Yes, well, normally we'd follow protocol, sir. But, he identifies as 'a comrade' and said that might get your attention."

A comrade..? Our supplier? Perhaps an impersonator setting a trap? He said it's an open channel, so it could be anyone. It could also be intercepted or tracked. Considering we've never heard our supplier's voice before, we have no way of confirming if it really is who he says he is. However...

"Ask him what the contents of our last shipment was, then relay what he tells you to me," I ordered.

"Yes, sir," he agreed. So, our call was put on hold while he asked this mysterious caller the question. The only people who saw the contents of our last shipment were Latch and I, and if it was Latch calling, I would be able to tell by his voice. If this person knew what was inside, then I would have adequate reason to believe it was our supplier. While I waited, I set up a secure channel for him to transfer the call to, should it truly be our supplier.

"Master Kaiba, they said 'a batch of Miracle, Blue-Eyes, Crimson-Wing and Radiant-Eyes Support cards.'" he replied.

"I see...very well, then. Put him through on communication channel nine."

"Are you sure, sir?"

"Yes."

"Very well. Patching it through," he finished. It took a few seconds, but the voice of this unknown transmission came through my terminal.

"Well, well! It's an honor to finally speak to you, Kaiba-boy!" a flamboyant voice announced, "For a moment, I thought you might reject me."

Kaiba-boy...?

"Yes, well, you can never be too careful. Especially for someone in my position," I explained.

"I quite agree. It's the same for me, you see," he concurred, "Oh my! I'm a poet and didn't even know it!"

"...you're certainly not what I expected from our supplier. You _are_ our supplier, aren't you?" I inquired.

"Indeed, I am, Kaiba-boy!" he replied, giddily, "Allow me to introduce myself; I am Maxwell P. Crawford. CEO and President of Industrial Illusions."

"Maxwell Crawford? Grandson of Pegasus J. Crawford? Wouldn't that make you well over one hundred years of age?"

"Yes, I know it's rather hard to believe, but I have a little trick for staying alive for so long."

Immortality, most likely...so, he met that man as well. I wonder how many other people were affected by him...

"Well, regardless of your method, I have questions that I want answered," I said, redirecting the conversation.

"You aren't even a tinsy bit curious? You're no fun..." he pouted, perking up afterwards, "Very well! I believe you've earned the right to some answers. What would you like to know?"

"Industrial Illusions was the company that created Duel Monsters. It should have been eliminated during the Dominion's purge of the game. How can it still be standing?" I asked.

"Well, it was officially shut down. However, we continued our operations in secret," he revealed, "You're familiar with the world's history, right? The fusing of the four dimensions?"

"Yes. If I recall correctly, Industrial Illusions was from the Xyz Dimension, was it not?" I replied.

"Ooh! How very educated you are! Indeed. When the dimensions fused together and Reiji Akaba resigned, Industrial Illusions eventually took over the Leo Corporation and merged as one company. From then on, Industrial Illusions held a monopoly over Duel Monsters! It was only natural that we keep some sort of contingency in place in case of disaster. You can never be too careful, right?" he explained.

"So, you continued producing Duel Monsters products in secret right under the Dominion's nose?"

"Exactly right, Kaiba-boy! Brilliant, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is," I agreed, "Now, tell me this: Why don't you design combat Duel Disks that allow us to break the rules? We're fighting for our lives here. Don't you think that justifies it?"

"You've been doing quite well despite that limitation, haven't you?" he said, with a smug giggle, "Besides, it's for your benefit in the long run. When you play by the rules, the data we collect allow us to create better cards for you."

"You're collecting data from our Duel Disks?"

"Oh...did I forget to mention that? Silly me!" he replied, snidely. It was almost like he was toying with us...testing us. He was correct that we've managed to get by so far while following the rules, but I still think a combat oriented Duel Disk would be invaluable.

"No matter..." I sighed, "Well, then. What is the meaning of this call? I would assume it's rather important, considering you haven't contacted us before this moment."

"Ah, yes..." he said, his voice coming to a more serious tone, "You see, the Dominion has invented some _nasty_ little toys to combat your monsters."

"Is that so?" I replied, "So, our monsters aren't strong enough to take them on now?"

"Well, they're _strong_ enough, but they aren't _dexterous_ enough," he explained, "Currently, your monsters respond to your commands, yes? They aren't capable of fighting on their own. As such, they can only operate as fast as you can command them."

"I'm well aware. How is that a problem?"

"Because the new technology that the Dominion made is a very different kind of weapon," he told me, "It's called a Frame; a suit of powered armor that increases the wearer's abilities to superhuman levels. With it, they're able to effectively combat your monsters. They can act faster than any monster can respond to a human's command."

"I take it you've created a solution to combat this?"

"Indeed, I have, Kaiba-boy!" he proudly announced, "My company has invented a new accessory to the Duel Disk; the DMI!"

"DMI?"

"Direct Monster Interface!" he replied. At that moment, an image appeared on my terminal. It looked to be some sort of headwear, almost like the Duel Gazers that the Xyz Dimension once used.

"With this system, you can select any monster you control, then manipulate them with this device, as if your minds were merged together."

"You're saying...we can control our monsters with our thoughts?"

"It would be more accurate to say that you _become_ your monsters through your minds. That way, your monsters will be able to react instantly."

"That's quite impressive...", I muttered in awe, "Yes...I'm impressed, Maxwell. But...I still have two more questions."

"And those are?"

"Why go this far for us? Other than the resurrection of Duel Monsters, what do you get out of the Dominion's destruction? You were a Domino before they even started taking over the world, weren't you?"

"To be honest...I don't have any interest in war or destruction. I don't have any interest in bringing the old world back, either. I just want to see how my precious creations perform, and further improve them as time goes on," he confessed, "Science, Kaiba-boy. The pursuit of science and the advancement of technology are all that concern me."

"Hm...well, if that's the way you feel, I have no complaints. As long as I can continue to count on your support, that is."

"But of course, Kaiba-boy! I've supported you so far, haven't I?"

"Yes, I suppose you have," I shrugged, "So, then. When should we expect these DMIs to arrive?"

"They should already be there," he told me, happily, "I suggest you start training your men to use them as soon as possible. They'll certainly take some getting used to!"

"Right," I accepted, "Well, my final question is this: have you been supplying cards to the Dominion as well?"

"Hm? I've done nothing of the sort. If I had, I would have been arrested by now," he replied. By the tone of his voice, I could tell that he was serious. Either that, or he was an incredible liar. So, that means that someone else is supplying the Dominion.

"Well, the Dominion has somehow gotten their hands on state-of-the-art Duel Disks and brand new cards. Either you're getting sloppy with your inventory, or someone is manufacturing your products unbeknownst to you," I informed him.

"That is concerning news. I thank you for the information. I'll be sure to look into it," he replied.

"Now then, since we've finally made contact, should I expect more direct communication in the future?"

"Indeed, you should, Kaiba-boy," he confirmed, "I'll keep an eye on the Dominion's developments and plan accordingly. Should I come up with anything, I'll be sure to let you know."

"Right."

Click. The line hung up.


	29. DMI

I saw Yuki and Daisuke leave the penthouse building and head off. So, I waited a bit, then strolled back over to the front door and leaned against the wall, debating whether I should go in or not. I really, really just wanted to spend some time with Kaiba. After everything that had happened...even if it was only for a short time...it felt as if I'd never see him again. And even without that, I haven't gotten to spend much one on one time with him. With all his planning and stuff, he had felt so distant lately. I know that he's our leader and has to bear the weight of our operation by himself...I know it might be selfish of me to want his attention even for a short time...but I can't stop my heart from yearning. I wanted to be by his side more.

Maybe he really is in love with that Viviana girl, but she said she doesn't want to have anything to do with him, right? If that was the case...maybe he would move on. If he did choose to give up on her, then I might just have a chance. I wanted to do everything I could to get closer to him. So...I figured I could ask him on a date. Now that I knew his identity, maybe he would be okay with going up to the surface with me without his disguise. That way...we could bond some more. That's what I was hoping, at least. With all he does for us, he deserves some time to relax and enjoy himself. If I could be the one to convince him to take it easy for a bit, and if I could be with him...well...that would just be a dream a come true.

"But how should I ask him...?" I asked myself aloud, staring at the ground in thought.

"Ask who?"

"Kaiba..."

"What did you want to ask me?" Looking to my side quickly, I saw Kaiba standing right beside me.

"K-Kaiba! W-when did you get here?" I blurted in surprise.

"I just got here, actually," he told me, "Was there something you needed?"

"I...just..." I mumbled, looking down at the ground again. I fell silent, not being able to find the words I wanted.

"...I'm going to the warehouse to check on a shipment we should have gotten recently," he said, "Come find me if you need me." As he began to walk away, I was able to summon up some courage in the heat of the moment.

"W-wait!" I called.

"What is it?" he asked, turning around.

"Um...can I come with?" I requested.

"Hm...yes..." he said, softly, "That would actually be a good idea. Please do." When he said it like that, an overwhelming happiness came over me. Even though it was just a trip to the warehouse...something about just being by his side again brought me enough joy to bring tears to my eyes. So, I quickly ran to his side, just like before. But, just before he was about to summon a monster, I interjected.

"Wait!"

"Hm?"

"Can we...just walk?" I asked, meekly.

"For what reason?" he replied. Once again, I hesitated. I struggled to find the courage to tell him what I really wanted. I've been in love with him all this time...and he had done so much for me...I even helped save him from Viviana...I should be able to say how I felt at this point.

"Because..." I said, closing my eyes and building my courage.

"...because?" he echoed.

"I want to spend time with you," I finally said, tensing up as the words left my mouth. I almost couldn't believe I said that. My heart felt like it had stopped for a moment. Kaiba didn't immediately reply, either, causing the moments of silence between us to feel like an eternity.

"Hm..." he hummed aloud, "I suppose we haven't had much time together lately, have we? Very well." Looking up to him, I saw the reflection of my bright red face in his lenses. But...somehow...I felt like I could see past the helmet.

"Thank you..." I muttered, smiling bashfully and looking downward. Kaiba began to walk forward, so I followed behind him, happily.

"So...back before I recovered my memories, you fought Viviana, right?" he asked me after a short silence. I was so lost in my happiness that I almost missed the question.

"Oh...yeah...um...sorry," I apologized, realizing that I _did_ beat up the girl he loved.

"No, I was actually going to thank you," he replied, "I know you did it for my sake."

"You mean...you're not angry?" I asked him.

"No. What you did was very brave," he complimented me, "If I was able to, I would have given you a medal."

"I didn't do anything that great..." I replied, flattered.

"Risking your life for your Commander, especially on your own volition, is no small act," he said, turning to me, "I am truly grateful."

"B-but...Yuki was the one to save you, right? I didn't even defeat Viviana..." I responded, trying not to take all the credit.

"Yuki wouldn't have been able to if you didn't give her an opening," he argued, "Without you, I wouldn't be here right now. So please, just accept my gratitude."

Everything that was happening right now made me so happy. Walking side by side with Kaiba...hearing him give me praise...just getting to talk with him like this. It felt like a wonderful dream. Feeling more comfortable now, I got a little closer to him, almost until our arms were touching. This was true happiness. From then until we reached the warehouse, we simply took our time and walked, occasionally chatting about random subjects. It was very peaceful, and it was all that I could ask for.

"Latch. I was hoping you'd be here," Kaiba said as we entered the building. Looking ahead, I saw Latch leaning over a crate.

"Oh, Kaiba. I was just about to call you," Latch replied, turning to us, "We got this shipment just a few minutes ago. It looks like it's from our supplier, but we don't have any shipments scheduled for today."

"That's alright. It's from our supplier. It's a very special package," Kaiba informed us.

"...Right...So, it's safe to open, then?" Latch asked.

"Yes. What you'll find inside will be our key to victory," he said, afterwards turning to me, "Shirley, close the warehouse door and lock it. I don't want anyone else in here at the moment." Seeing that nobody other than the three of us were here, I quickly followed his orders, closing the big door and locking it from inside. As I did that, Latch opened up the crate with a crowbar, then looked inside. He got a shocked, yet confused expression at what he saw.

"What...are they?" he asked.

"They're called Duel Monster Interfaces," Kaiba said, walking over to the crate and taking off his helmet, "And if they work as I've been told they do..." He took one of the strange devices and wrapped it around his ear, the glass part covering his eye like a scanner. He pulled up his Duel Disk and activated it, drawing some cards and summoning his "Canvas Knight". Like his Canvas Dragon, the monster seemed to be made of a white, papery material with no other features other than a general shape and a sword in hand. After that, Kaiba looked at his monster and the glass part of the device covering his eye glowed bright red. At the same time, his Canvas Knight stopped moving, as if it were being affected by the device as well.

Then, we witnessed something incredible. Kaiba drew back his arm with hand clenched as if wielding a sword, and in complete synchronization, his Knight did the same. He thrust his arm forward, and his Knight followed; the force of the Sword creating a shockwave of wind that flew forward at great speed.

"What the hell?!" Latch shouted.

"I've never seen a Duel Monster move that fast!" I added, just as shocked as he was. At that moment, Kaiba began to laugh softly, in a slightly unnerving manner.

"I see...its destructive capabilities exceeded my expectations," Kaiba commented, deep in thought, "If this were applied to a monster as strong as Blue-Eyes..."

"Kaiba...what in the world _is_ this?" I asked him, a bit afraid.

"This device allows you to directly control your monsters," he explained, turning to face us both at the same time as his Canvas Knight, "And after testing it, I see it has one to one responsiveness and incredible accuracy. Outstanding."

"Are you...sure this is alright?" Latch asked him. Once he said that, Kaiba looked over to him with a serious expression (Once again, his Knight followed his movements exactly - like a clone.)

"Latch, don't you trust me?" he asked, turning to him.

"Well...of course I do...it's just..." Latch mumbled.

It's just...they look less like Duel Monsters...and more like weapons of mass destruction this way. That's what Latch wanted to say, and it's what I was thinking at the time as well.

"I understand your concern. However; our enemy is a Dominion that has the world in an iron grip. This technology will gives us a needed advantage and speeds up our plans to destroy the Dominion exponentially," Kaiba told us.

"...I understand," Latch said, with a dejected expression. After that, Kaiba took off the device and deactivated his Duel Disk, his monster dissipating.

"Don't worry. Only my most trusted commanders will be using these devices. I'm aware that such tremendous power should not be distributed haphazardly," he assured us, "Besides, they're powerful enough to require only a select few users to level the playing field."

"Right," Latch agreed, nodding. I could tell that he was still unsure, though.

Kaiba began walking back over to the warehouse door, apparently done with his business there.

"What should we do with the shipment?" Latch asked.

"Secure it and keep its existence hidden for the time being," Kaiba instructed him.

"Hey, Kaiba-" I began.

"I have some business to take care of. Whatever it is, save it for another time," he replied, turning to me.

After unlocking the warehouse door, he left quickly. Latch and I just stood there, watching him as he went. We were both waiting for the chance to speak alone.

"Shirley...I know we've been using our Duel Monsters for fighting and all...but this..."

"Feels wrong?" I finished for him.

"...you feel the same way?" he asked.

"I guess so...but I trust Kaiba," I told him, "I know he wouldn't agree to use something like this without a good reason, don't you think?"

"Maybe...but don't you think Kaiba's been acting a little...differently lately?" he tried to reason.

"He's been through a lot in a short period of time. He had his mind controlled, after all. I'm sure he's just a bit tried and stressed," I said, trying to justify my own uneasiness as well as Latch's, "...I want to take down the Dominion. I want them to pay for making so many people suffer. If these devices can help us achieve that, then isn't that for the best?"

"...Yeah. You're right," Latch agreed, sounding more sure of the situation now, "Kaiba's always led us to victory. He knows what's best."

* * *

Daisuke and I walked through the housing district, making our way further into town. The arcade was on the far side of the shopping district by the mall. It was where most of the kids hung out after school. He and I spent a lot of time here in the past. After school, on weekends, during holidays, during winter and summer vacation...we were always hanging out together.

"I never thought just going to the arcade would feel so refreshing, ya know?" Daisuke laughed.

"Yeah, I totally agree," I replied, smiling, "Just strolling around without worrying about anything else feels like a vacation. I wonder how everyone else underground does it..."

"You mean how they handle all the action and tension?" he asked.

"Yeah. I don't think I'd be as held together as I am now if I was in the Rebellion for as long as some of them are," I explained.

"...Well, maybe they just have a really good reason to fight," he suggested, "Neither of us really have anything against the Dominion, you know?"

"Yeah, I was thinking about that awhile ago," I confessed without really thinking.

"I'm in it because you are, but...what's your reason for joining?" he asked me, prodding for more info. It was at that point that my senses kicked back in. I realized that the line of questions he was asking were rather loaded. He was well aware that I didn't have a reason for fighting the Dominion like the other rebels. The rebellion didn't do anything to me or my family, and they had taken care of me all this time. I knew all that.

My reason for fighting was Yusuke, but I couldn't tell Daisuke that. I couldn't tell him that it was just for fun or excitement either. To anyone other than myself, and maybe Shirley...I didn't really have a good reason to fight against the nation that has taken care of me. And thinking of it that way once again made me question my own motives. But, I'd already been down that road. I was determined to see this through. My necklace told me that the Rebellion would fail without me. Not only would Yusuke suffer if they failed, but so would Latch, Shirley, and everyone else. After getting to know all of them, there was no way I could let them get hurt.

"I want everyone to be happy," I answered, finally. Daisuke glanced over at me with a troubled expression, probably unsatisfied with my answer. Knowing him, he was just concerned about my wellbeing.

"...Just don't put everyone else's needs over your own, okay?" he told me, acting really serious again, "You're not the only one you hurt when you don't take care of yourself. The people who want to see you happy and healthy suffer, too."

"You sound like a grandpa..." I joked, trying to dodge the subject.

"Yeah, I guess I do," he chuckled. By the time we had finished that exchange, we were already at the arcade. Just like we had said, it felt like years since we'd been here. All the familiar games brought me even more nostalgia. Daisuke and I would spend hours here as kids, holding competitions and making bets against each other. We'd always try and be the best at every game we came across.

"Hey, they brought it back!" Daisuke exclaimed.

"Brought what back?" I asked as he ran into the arcade. I quickly followed him to see what the big deal was, and when I reached him, I saw he was looking at a huge arcade cabinet. It was a shooting game called Gunstriker II. It looked similar to the first Gunstriker game, except it had better graphics. You'd hold two plastic guns that you could aim at the screen to shoot, and on the guns were joysticks that let you move around. The coolest feature was the ability to magnet the guns together to make an even stronger one, and you could do that in two different ways. You could either play a local campaign with up to two people, or you could play an online PvP Deathmatch mode with players from other arcades. They had the first one here when we were a lot younger, but they removed it before we were tall enough to play it. You had to be a certain height to hold the guns and everything, but we were so young that we couldn't reach. Now, it looks like they brought in the sequel.

"We can finally play it!" Daisuke cheered, exploding with enthusiasm, "Come on, Yuki! Let's do it!" His childish glee brought me a lot of comfort, and I couldn't help but join in.

"Alright! Let's go!" I agreed, matching his energy. We quickly inserted some money, then immediately got into the game. Despite our inexperience, we decided to jump online and play against other people. It was a really bad idea, considering we got completely obliterated. But, we had so much fun. We couldn't stop smiling and laughing. This kind of pure, innocent joy was something that I longed for subconsciously. I didn't notice at the time, but this kind of happiness and ignorance of all my problems was something that I only felt when I was with Daisuke. He always had a way of making me forget my problems, even if it was just doing mundane things together.

Maybe it was because we've just known each other for so long...or maybe I was just holding something back in my mind. I don't know. I wasn't in the right frame of mind to critically analyze it either. I was just...enjoying myself. I was leaving all the worries I was carrying behind for the moment, which was exactly what I needed.

"Phew! That was fun!" Daisuke laughed after we had finished.

"You got that right!" I agreed. We lost miserably, but both of us had a blast while doing it. It was probably easier to accept because we weren't really _trying_ to win. We knew that we didn't stand a chance against other players, that's for sure. Instead of jumping back in, though, we decided to go and play the other games around the arcade. We used the Dance Freak machine, the Infinity Fighter cabinet, and everything else we saw. We played and played until we spent a large chunk of our allowance. It was just like when we were younger. It was...nice. Refreshing.

"Maybe we should stop it here, yeah? I don't want to blow this entire month's allowance on games, you know?" Daisuke suggested, chuckling.

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea," I giggled, "We can always come back some other time."

"...can we?" he asked, taking that serious tone again.

"...why wouldn't..." I trailed off. 'Why wouldn't we be able to?', I was going to ask. But...I know what he was suggesting. This rebellion...this war...it could very well be the death of us. If something happened, or if we weren't careful, one or both of us could die. This rebellion wasn't something we were doing for fun. He knew that...I knew that...but he was still in the rebellion for my sake.

"Daisuke," I said, turning to him seriously, "I know it's selfish of me, but I want you to leave the Rebellion."

"You know I can't do that," he replied, "If you're going to risk your life, I'm not just going to sit back and do nothing."

"I know...but, if something happened to you...I could never forgive myself," I told him, "You're in this rebellion solely for my sake. You don't have anything to fight for. If you...if you died just because of me..."

"Do you really have a reason to fight as well, Yuki?" he asked, softly, "A reason worth dying for?"

"...I..."

"...It's for Tachibana...isn't it?" he asked, turning to look outside, somehow knowing my reasoning.

"...does it matter?" I asked, looking downward. As I did, I could see Daisuke clench his fist. He tensed up, then took a deep, drawn out breath.

"Yuki," he said, turning to me with a stern expression, "I love you." I wasn't expecting him to say it at that time, so it caught me off guard. I looked up to him, our eyes meeting.

"I've loved you all this time, but I know that you'll probably never feel the same way," he confessed. So, he did know. He knew that I didn't feel the same way...

"Even still, knowing that my feelings are one sided, I've always stayed by your side, and will continue to. Do you know why?"

"...Why?" I asked.

"Because just being your friend feels like a miracle," he told me, walking up and putting his hands on my shoulders, "So don't give me that 'I couldn't forgive myself' bull. If you died while I was sitting on the sidelines, I couldn't go on living."

"Daisuke..."

"Neither of us want the other to die, but still, we throw ourselves into this rebellion thing. So tell me this," he pressed, "What's so damn important that it's worth risking your life over?"

Viviana's words came back to me when he said that.

 _"Then why do you fight? What gives you such determination to struggle against the world that has taken care of you your whole life?"_

I'm fighting for a better world...aren't I? I made that decision went I was shown the past. The Dominion...they've taken care of me, but...

"I want...a better world. A free world with individuality. A world without oppression and restriction. That's what I'm fighting for."

"You're fighting to change the world..." he mumbled in response, "Then you'll have to be ready to sacrifice everything."

"Sacrifice everything?" I asked, surprised at his sudden change in tone.

"Latch told me that, back when we were training. He said that the bigger your goal, the greater the sacrifices you must make. When your dreams expand, the cost grows exponentially," he explained, "So, how about it Yuki? Are you willing to lose everything you've known for this goal? Even if this goal isn't your own?"

I wasn't sure how to answer him. I had made up my mind before, but now I was questioning myself again. If I was really so sure...why was my resolve so easily shaken? Should I really continue questioning myself? Have I not considered it enough? But, if I decide it isn't worth it, what will become of everyone in the Dominion? As these thoughts raced through my mind, my phone started to ring.


	30. Tachibana

This new technology far surpassed my expectations. I intended to move forward without it, but with it, our victory was all but assured. With the sleeper agents I've placed and the plans I've devised, the foundation for our success has been laid. All that's left now is to move everything to the next stage.

I continued running projections in my head as I made my way back to the penthouse. I was certain that there was nothing left to worry about, but I can't afford to be careless. Pride and overconfidence have long been the folly of the greatest minds in history. I can't make the same mistakes. This dream of mine had surpassed what it once was long ago. It was no longer personal revenge for the fall of my homeland. Now, it was the liberation of the entire world and the emergence of a new era.

I passed several of our new recruits on my way back, but my deep thought was interrupted by Descartes approaching me.

"Monsieur Kaiba, may I have a moment of your time?" he requested.

"If it isn't mission critical, I'd ask you to wait until later. I have an important matter to attend to," I told him.

"It may indeed be mission critical, Kaiba. I wouldn't request an audience with you lightly," he replied, seriously. After looking at him briefly, then nodding, I responded.

"Walk with me." I had a ways to go before I reached my destination, and I had been walking to give myself some time to consolidate everything before setting it all in motion. But, if it was really that important, I could spare some time. Once we got away from the other recruits that were around, he began explaining.

"I would be wary of the man who calls himself Hachiman," he warned.

"The leader of the Vengeful Shinobi that were recruited..." I added.

"Yes," he confirmed, "I have been watching him ever since he joined, and his disposition...concerns me."

"Is that so?"

"He is very...unwelcoming to those who are not Japanese. I might go so far as to call his attitude 'hostile'," he explained, "I believe he is not to be trusted." He saw that, too...

"As long as he remains loyal to our cause and fights against our enemies, then it is alright," I told him, simply to calm him down, "Many of our recruits aren't particularly fond of other races or nationalities, but they do as they're told." After I said that, he began to slow down and fall behind. When I stopped to look back at him, he crossed his arms and retorted,

"And why do you think they do as they are told?"

"...What are you getting at?" I replied.

"They cooperate because of you," he answered, "To your followers, you are both everyone and no one. No matter their race or heritage, they see you as a comrade. They only work together because you are what connects them."

"So, what are you suggesting?"

"I am suggesting that if Hachiman were to discover the truth, he may take undesirable action," he stated.

"The truth?" I pressed.

"...that you are not Japanese."

"Intriguing...you're more analytical than you let on..." I mused. I wasn't surprised that he recognized that, but I wasn't expecting him to consider the consequences of it. As far as the Shinobi knew, I was Japanese as well. When I met with Hachiman for the first time, I spoke to him in Japanese. Add to that, my current goal was to liberate Japan from the Dominion, though that was only the first step. Descartes made an interesting point, though I was aware of Hachiman's potentially for betrayal since we met. Knowing how he feels about foreigners, Hachiman would likely respond with hostility if he knew that the person he swore allegiance to was a foreigner, though his loyalty was uncertain at the moment.

"It doesn't matter what race I am," I said to him, "I've brought the Rebellion this far. I've conquered and united countless warring groups. All that matters are the results that an individual can produce."

"I see...if that is what you believe, then I will not argue further," Descartes said, bowing slightly, "I just hope that Hachiman feels the same way..."

No, Hachiman won't. I've all but confirmed that. However, this presents a grand opportunity. If Hachiman is the person I believe him to be, then he should be easy to manipulate. If he finds out that I'm not Japanese, he may try to defect. With these new Duel Monster Interfaces, losing his support will be of little consequence. In addition, I need only eliminate Hachiman himself. The rest of the Shinobi are more reliant on him than my recruits are on me. If he falls, I can simply take his place. If all goes well, he could be a most excellent sacrificial pawn. In fact, with my current objective, that sort of outcome would be ideal.

With this...

Descartes left me as I returned to the penthouse to prepare for my trip. I was going to be leaving the underground for awhile to tie up one last loose end. Well, that was my initial plan. With the information I just received, most of my plan is the same, but the finishing touches are significantly different now. This would take some careful planning. But, just as I was about to take off my helmet, my monitor lit up and began ringing with an alert tone. I walked over to it and answered, and I was greeted by the Wasteland Security.

"Kaiba, we've got a situation," he said, "A single girl has dropped into the wasteland. What should we do?"

A single girl...

"Give me a physical description, if you can," I replied.

"Short, black hair. Probably no taller than five-four at most. She's...Japanese. Definitely. She's also wearing a long, red cloak. Is that good enough?"

"Yes. Excellent, in fact. Let her through."

"Say what?!"

"Let her through, and make sure that she doesn't spot any of you on her way in. Make it appear that our wasteland isn't guarded at the moment."

"...Alright, sir. If that's what you want..." he murmured, the call ending. Immediately after, a video transmission came through unexpectedly.

"Hello, my son."

"You are...Ryotaro Tachibana..." I murmured, seeing him on the screen, "Head of Tachibana Corp; the lead weapon manufacturer for the Dominion, correct? Though I'm not sure how you were allowed through this channel, I believe you have the wron-"

"There's no use feigning ignorance, Yusuke. I'm well aware of the double life you've been living," he countered,"To think that the lone immortal I saved from a laboratory would go on to found the greatest threat to the Dominion's existence...you're truly worthy of being called my son."

"Hm...I suppose there's no point in hiding it from you any longer, then," I responded, unconcernedly taking off my helmet, "You don't seem very worried, though. You do realize that I'm after your life, don't you?"

"Of course I am," he confirmed, smugly, "I've known you would attempt to betray me from the moment I first spoke to you. You have the spirit and grit of a wild beast; a beast that cannot be tamed. Just like your father. Your calm and intelligent gaze betrays your true nature."

"If you think I'll fall prey to your provocation, then you've underestimated me," I scoffed, "Regardless...I don't assume you called me to banter. What do you want?"

"Yusuke...tell me something; What is it that you hope to accomplish by overthrowing the Dominion?" he asked, almost sarcastically.

"I have no reason to entertain your questions," I argued, "State your business or-" I stopped when I felt something narrow and metal touch the back of my head. It was the barrel of a gun, and judging by the size of the barrel, it was most likely a small handgun. Even so, I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Do you honestly think you can threaten me with death? Have you forgotten the reason you chose me to be your agent?" I laughed.

"Obviously. That's why I've studied how your regeneration works," he revealed, "Your body won't regenerate if you aren't killed. So, I'll just cripple you." When he said that, I felt the barrel of the gun move from the back of my head to lower in the center of my back.

"That's a clever idea..." I complimented, smiling a bit, "What do you intend to do after that?"

"As long as you're functioning, your Rebellion will go on. But, that is also your greatest weakness. Your Rebellion relies on your leadership," he explained, "I believe the proper idiom is 'cutting off the head of the serpent.'"

"I see...and how did you manage to sneak an assassin into my penthouse?" I questioned further. He laughed boisterously.

"Your overconfidence, that's how," he boasted.

"Hmph...I suppose I've been outmaneuvered this time. Don't expect me to simply abandon my objective, though. Even if it takes me another three hundred years, I'll achieve my goal," I assured him.

"Your determination is truly admirable, if futile," he said, smiling proudly, "Misaki, once you've disabled him, lock him up in the cryo-chamber, won't you?"

"Yes, my lord," the person holding a gun to my back replied. With that, the transmission ended.

"I'm sorry, Master Yusuke," she said, actually sounding sincere, "I wish I didn't have to hurt you, but I will tend to your wounds immediately afterwards. Please forgive me."

Now that Ryotaro wasn't watching, I had to see if my bet paid off. As I predicted, he sent Misaki. If my plan succeeded, then sending Misaki was his fatal mistake.

"Now... _that's enough, Misaki_ ," I said, clearly. After briefly gasping in surprise, she removed the gun from my back. I stood up and turned around to see her standing there, eyes focused and the golden mark of command on her forehead.

"I'm glad to see my command has lasted this long," I said, extremely satisfied with my forethought. In truth, Misaki was the first person I ever used my power on. Because she was the right hand to Ryotaro Tachibana, I surmised that she would be a great asset in the future. I commanded her to treat me as her supreme master when I used the phrase 'That's enough, Misaki.' I wasn't sure how long the command would stay within her mind, but it seems that it can last several years at least. Good to know.

"How may I serve you, My Master?" she responded.

"First, tell me what Ryotaro is planning to do overall," I ordered.

"Lord Ryotaro plans to raise an army of immortals, then seize control of the Dominion for himself," she informed me. Hmph...with his ego, I wasn't be surprised. He's a fool to think that he can...Wait...an army of immortals?

"An army? How many more immortals are there?" I asked, urgently.

"There are five true immortals that we know of," she said.

"Five soldiers is hardly an army. How does he plan on getting more?"

"He has contracted Dominion researchers to attempt to replicate the regenerative ability the immortals possess, though their ability to come back to life is impossible to copy," she explained. He's attempting to create pseudo-immortals, then...there isn't a way to bring people back from the dead, that's for sure. They might be able to regenerate faster than any living being, but I think it's safe to assume they could still be killed. Even so, that's still a problem...

If they were successful in creating a large amount of these beings...it could ruin everything, or make things exceedingly difficult at least.

"How successful is this project at the moment?" I asked her, "How far have they gotten?" Misaki opened her mouth to answer, but struggled. She couldn't find the words in her mind. That was the trick to this power. Though I could command people to perform any action I desired, they were still bound by the limitations of reality and the human body. I couldn't command a dying man to live, nor could I force information out of a woman who knows nothing of the desired subject.

"I suppose that's all you know..." I lamented, "Regardless, I have a mission for you."

"Yes, My Master."

"In forty-seven minutes, I want you to return to Ryotaro and inform him that you've completed your mission while acting like his servant again, then do everything in your power to keep him unaware of my current actions," I instructed her, "Lastly, remember every detail you hear of this immortality project for the time being."

"Understood," she accepted, turning around and heading towards the window. As she did, I realized how she entered my room, undetected. She had come from the roof, descending the building and entering through the window. A clever tactic, but I expected nothing less of Misaki. Over time, I learned just how capable of a warrior she was, in addition to being an excellent servant. Perhaps once I get rid of Ryotaro, I can permanently enlist her into my service.

As far as I knew, she was indefinitely under my control at this point, so long as I gave the proper command. Although that had its own advantages, I would prefer if she would work under my auspices on her own volition. I suspect once I get rid of Ryotaro, that won't be an issue anymore. Regardless of all that, I've learned some interesting things.

I was correct in assuming I can permanently control someone without the need for physical contact by telling them to obey my every order from that moment on _as the command_. Because I require physical contact in order to influence another human, I can't affect multiple targets at once or command someone from a distance. I'll have to choose my words carefully and make sure they remain under my control, unless they'll be disposed of thereafter.

Luckily, I've also seen that a command may lie dormant within someone for several years, but still remain effective. I don't know the exact time limit, but even a single year is more than enough for any given situation. Knowing that, I have a larger time frame to act than I first assumed. Honestly, though, I wasn't expecting Ryotaro to contact _me_ first. It was my intention to return to the surface and contact him, then feign innocence to get close to him. When I had the chance, I was going to assassinate him as soon as possible. It seems that he was aware of more than I anticipated.

Knowing the location of our base of operations is useless to him at the moment. He doesn't know any safe routes into the underground that would threaten us, and our guards wouldn't let anyone in, anyway. The Dominion is already aware that the wasteland is their only entrance, and they've been shown time and time again that we're more than prepared to halt their advance at anytime. Misaki is a special case, and she's under my control already. As far as our safety goes, nothing has changed.

The only advantage he has is knowing my identity. If he were to reveal who I am to the Rebellion, it could cause serious problems. However, thanks to his arrogance and misplaced self-confidence, he believes I've been taken care of, and as a result, my Rebellion is finished. He has no reason to make any further actions. So, then, I'll have to act first.

* * *

"H-hello?" I asked, turning away from Daisuke.

"Yuki. It's Yusuke," he answered, "Where are you right now?" That's when it hit me. I didn't even tell him where I was going. I just sort of...left. Spur of the moment, I guess.

"Uh...I kind of...left the underground..." I confessed, meekly, "I'm in the...shopping district."

"Hm...just as well I suppose. I was going to bring you along," he replied, "I'll assume Daisuke is with you." Bring me along? What did he mean by that? And how did he know that I had Daisuke with me?

"Um...Do you need something?" I asked him.

"Yes. I have an assignment for you and Daisuke," he ordered.

"What would that be?"

"I'd like you to stay on the surface and go back to school for awhile," he revealed, shockingly.

"Stay on the surface? Go back to school?" I echoed, confused, "Why?"

"I'll be returning there myself, temporarily. I'd like to have you two with me," he explained, "I don't have any other people I can rely on for backup while I'm undercover."

"But...we've been away for a week now. How are we supposed to explain our absence? And are we going to stay underground at night? Or can I go home for now?"

"I've already taken care of the issue regarding our absence, and you're free to return home. Actually, it's best if you act as normally as possible," he elaborated, "Consider this an undercover operation."

"So...you're saying...I'll live a normal life for a bit?" I asked, hopefully.

"It's more comfortable than living underground, isn't it? I didn't think you'd have any problems with this mission," he replied.

"No, I don't have a problem with it. But, you'll be coming up to the surface, too?" I asked, smiling a bit.

"Yes. I have some things to attend to up there," he replied, "For now, continue with what you're doing, but be home in time for curfew. You have school to attend now."

" _We_ have school to attend now!" I replied, happily. Instead of replying sarcastically, he gave me his normal cold shoulder and just hung up. Would it kill him to just accept my kindness sometimes? He's so...silly...

"Was that Tachibana?" Daisuke asked, sounding disinterested.

"Huh? Ah...yeah," I confirmed, snapping out of my daze. He laughed softly, saying,

"Figures...you only act that way when you're talking to him..."

"W-what are you talking about? I'm not acting any certain way..." I argued, turning my head away from him, "Anyway...he said that we're going to be staying up here for now. We'll go back to school and stay at home."

"Why?" he asked in response.

"He's on some kind of mission, and he needs us for backup. That's not a problem, is it?"

"Nope," Daisuke sighed, putting on a sad smile, "If that's what you're going to do...you know I'll follow behind you." That's how it always was, wasn't it? No matter my selfish whim, he always stayed by my side. And yet...I still put Yusuke above him in my heart...

"...I'm sorry..." I mumbled, looking down in shame. I came here with Daisuke to enjoy myself and spend time with him...to show him that he means a lot to me. But now...

As I was beginning to feel worse and worse, Daisuke took his hand and placed it on my head, gently stroking it.

"You can't help what you feel. I know that," he said, "So, just...don't beat yourself up..."

His understanding nature, though somewhat comforting, only made me feel even worse. At this rate...I wouldn't be able to even face Daisuke anymore. But, he would still try to stay with me, regardless, wouldn't he?

"Well, if we're going to go back to school tomorrow, we should head back home and get ready. I'm sure your mom is worried," he suggested.

"...Yeah. I guess so," I agreed, halfheartedly.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he finished, taking his leave. I wanted to head home as well, but all I could do was stand there and watch him as he went, my guilt building more and more.

"...Guess I should head home as well," I whispered to myself, finally beginning to move. I slowly trekked back through the shopping district and towards home. I wasn't really thinking about what would happen tomorrow, or the next day, or then next day. All I could do at the moment was wallow in my guilt. I knew that Daisuke didn't want me to feel that way, but I couldn't help it.

"Hey, Yukihira," someone called out. It took me a second to notice, but when I looked up, I saw a girl wearing our school uniform approaching me. After examining her for a moment more, I noticed she was in our class. I think her name was...Suzume-san. I don't think we've ever spoken before, but I know that she usually keeps to herself in class, if she's who I think she is. Now that I know better, I see that she's Japanese like me. Well...I think so. We have similar traits. Smaller eyes, darker hair, shorter stature than other races. It feels kind of weird knowing that kind of stuff now, even though everyone else doesn't.

"Um...yes?" I answered.

"I was just wondering..." she trailed off, quietly. She was averting her eyes and fidgeting a bit, appearing very uncomfortable. I guess she's kind of shy.

"It's alright. You can ask me whatever you want," I replied, trying to be supportive. She looked up at me with a more assured expression, then continued.

"I was wondering if you and Daisuke-kun were...a couple," she said.

What a lousy time to ask me that...

"...No...we're not...", I said, softly.

"Really?" she asked, with hope in her voice. By that alone, I realized why she was asking.

"You...have a crush on him?" I asked, surprised.

"H-huh? W-well...I..." she stuttered, blushing and looking at the ground. This interaction...was the opposite of what I needed right now. Another person with an unrequited love...

"It's alright...he's a nice guy," I consoled her, "But...I don't think he's looking to date anyone right now."

"R-really..." she mumbled, losing that enthusiasm she had before, "Well...I guess it can't be helped, then." Just like how Viviana stole my chances with Yusuke from me...I had stolen this girl's chances with Daisuke...but I'm not even in love with Daisuke...which makes me...

"You're name is Suzume, right?" I asked her, softly.

"Yes, it is." I walked closer and wrapped my arms around her warmly, saying,

"Can we be friends?"

"H-h-huh?! W-well...yes! That's fine!" she exclaimed, completely thrown off.

"Thank you," I replied, letting go and beginning to walk away, "I'll see you at school tomorrow, alright?"

"Uh...huh...?" she replied, totally confused.


	31. Peace at Sunset (Extended Special)

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. For some reason, the original chapter 31 was deleted prior to its expiry date and all I had was an unfinished, unedited rough draft in a text file to work with. I was planning on releasing it yesterday, but since that didn't work out, I decided to add extra content for a longer chapter and release it today. Thanks for understanding. Hope you all had a great holiday weekend and hope you have a happy new year.**

* * *

When I arrived back home, Mom was nowhere to be found. I guess that was to be expected. She was probably still at work. For some reason, I felt incredibly tired, despite not doing much work today. With nothing else to do, I just decided to go to sleep. I had school tomorrow, and it was already getting late. I just made my way upstairs and into my room, laid down on my bed, and did my best to go to sleep.

Although being awake on time for school was the priority in my head, in my heart, I was trying to escape all the thoughts that were engulfing my consciousness at the moment. Despite my apparent "resolve", I was continuing to feel conflicted about my actions. The way I treated Daisuke, the way I favored Yusuke, and how I was doing exactly what I chastised Viviana for. I knew that these were things I simply felt and that I couldn't just change them by thinking...which is why I wanted so desperately to be taken by the grasp of sleep. If I could just empty my mind for a short while, it would give me some moment of relief. The guilt...was too much.

...but the relief was all too brief. I felt as if my eyes had only been closed for a minute, yet when I opened them once more, the morning sun was shining through my window. I lifted my head slightly, looking around my room. When my eyes moved to the clock, I saw that the alarm was only minutes away from going off, so there was no reason to try and go back to sleep. Though I felt rested, my troubled thoughts had not left me at all, and it was like I was being purposefully tormented at this point. Was I supposed to continue feeling this stuff until I decided to repent? Until I decided to stand firm to one side? What was I supposed to do? I had no idea.

All I could do at this point was make my way to school and get on with my life. I was finally able to live a normal life again, at least for a short time. I needed to push this worrisome stuff out of my mind for now. Yeah, that's what I'll do.

So, I began to get myself together for school; getting dressed, preparing some toast, brushing my teeth, the usual. Though I did all this stuff while I was underground, it somehow felt different while being up here. Getting ready for school and getting ready to participate in a rebellion are obviously different, but I guess I wasn't expecting it to feel so...strange. Comparing the two now that I had spent adequate time with everyone underground, I realized just how extremely different it was. Sounds silly, I know...but still...

As I hurried around the house, I noticed that Mom wasn't there. Her keys weren't in the holder, but the coffee machine was partially full, meaning she came home last night at the very least and left this morning. All I could do was just hope that she wasn't mad at me for disappearing for so long. Before I could worry too much about that, though, I received a text on my phone. I took it out of my pocket and saw that it was from a number I didn't have saved.

"Meet me on the roof at lunch. Come alone," it said. The roof at lunch...and come alone? Who sent this? It wasn't a number I recognized or that had contacted me before, so it wasn't Yusuke or Daisuke (unless one of them got a new phone or something.) It could be someone from the Rebellion, but it could also be some random person who got the wrong number. Regardless, I sent a message back asking who it was, but I was holding my breath for a reply. I just continued getting ready and pushed the issue aside until I got another response.

When I was finally ready to go, I grabbed my bag with my Duel Disk tucked away inside of it and headed out the door. Since I got ready so fast, I could take my time and still get to school before the final bell. Since I was never out at this time, though, it was a strange sight. There were a bunch of students all around me, when I usually made the trek alone. On top of that, something about this time of the morning felt off as well. The morning dew still hung around, and a faint tinge of coldness gave me goosebumps. The sky wasn't as clear as it usually was, either, but the sun was definitely behind the clouds.

"Yukihira!" a voice called out, as I stared at the upward slope, "Goodmorning!" Looking back, I saw it was Suzume. She had a bright smile on her face, and she ran up to me full of energy. I had never seen her so lively before.

"Goodmorning, Suzume-san," I said to her.

"Hm? Why the long face? Is everything alright?" she asked me, suddenly showing a concerned expression.

"Huh?" I exclaimed, completely unaware of my current state. When I stopped to analyze myself, I realized that I was definitely acting like something was wrong.

"Does it have something to do with Daisuke-kun?" she asked, like a sword piercing my heart.

"...Yeah, I guess it does in a way. But, don't worry about it. I'm alright," I assured her, trying to put on a smile.

"Are you sure? You can talk to me about it if you want," she offered, happily, "We're...friends, right?"

"Yeah. I appreciate it, but I don't even really understand it myself right now," I admitted, "I just need some time to think."

"I see..well...may I walk with you, then?" she requested.

"I'd like that," I replied, honestly. So, her and I made our way up the slope together, ever so slowly approaching our destination. While we went, I got to learn some more about her. Apparently her father was part of the research department in the Dominion's medical field. He studied new cures for diseases and stuff like that, so he was away or busy a lot.

"Do you ever miss him?" I asked her.

"Yes...I have fond memories of spending time with him when I was younger. He's so busy now, I rarely get to see him," she replied, "What about you? Do you get to see your father much?"

"...I never really knew my father," I explained, "He and my Mom got together when they were right out of highschool, and he stayed with us for a while. But, he just...left. I don't know why, and I don't remember much about him, either. I think it's probably better that way, since I don't really have anything to miss."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Suzume sympathized, "I guess I should be lucky I have a father at all."

Before long, we finally made it to the school. We got out school shoes on and continued into the classroom, but to my surprise, Daisuke wasn't there at all. Neither was Yusuke, for whatever reason. I knew he wanted us to be here to back him up...but why were neither of them here?

"Yukihira?" Suzume called as I sat down.

"Just call me Yuki," I offered.

"Okay! Yuki!" she smiled, brightly, "I'm really glad you decided to come back."

"Me, too," I agreed.

"Making new friends?" a voice came from the doorway. Looking over, I saw it was Yusuke. He finally made it.

"Y-Yeah...I guess I am..." I mumbled, confused by his sudden forthright attitude. Before, he would act like a total stranger to me. What's going on?

"And you...Suzume-san, right? It's nice to see you come out of your shell a little," he said to her. My jaw just about dropped to the floor at this point.

"T-Thank you!" she blurted, overwhelmed by his sheer presence.

"Coming out of her shell? Look who's talking! Mister Social!" I exclaimed, baffled by the absurdity of the statement.

"Now, now! I-It's alright!" Suzume said, trying to calm me down, "It's good that you're both here! Ahaha!" Just then, the teacher came in.

"Alright. Everyone take your seats. Got some news to share, so sit down," he announced, Suzume quickly going to the back of the class to take her seat, "We've got a new student today. She's a transfer student from the Dominion's Florentine Territory. Everyone give her a warm welcome."

As I glanced over to the door once more, I was hit with an incomprehensible reality. The girl before me walked up to the front of the class, bowed slightly, then said,

"My name is Viviana Giodini. I'll be studying here with you all for the time being. I hope to get along with all of you." My eyes locked with her for a moment, but instead of a look of anger, she just politely closed her eyes and nodded. My gaze darted over to Yusuke, but instead of a shocked expression, he seemed completely indifferent. He was gazing out the window like he always did before. What...what the hell was going on?!

"Giodini, you can take the seat behind Yukihira," the teacher told her.

"Isn't that were Koizumi-san sits?" a student behind me spoke up.

"He's not here, so it's his loss," the teacher shrugged, "Go on, then." So, Viviana walked in my direction, going past my desk and right behind me, taking her seat.

"Alright. Let's get started," the teacher said, beginning homeroom.

Needless to say, I couldn't focus at all. I was stuck there, mouth hung open at a loss for words and thoughts in a jumble. Everything felt so surreal right now. It was uncanny. Yusuke was being social, and Viviana just joined our class. Not to mention Yusuke didn't even seem to care and Viviana didn't appear to be angry at me. What the hell was happening? Millions of thoughts were running through my head, going through every possible solution as to why and how Viviana was here. I wasn't listening to any of the lectures, and before I knew it, it was lunch.

As soon as the bell rang, a bunch of students got out of their seat and ran to talk to Viviana. Glancing behind me, I saw her smiling and conversing with everyone, as if nothing were wrong at all. All the guys were fawning over her, and all the girls were gushing about how gorgeous she was. While she was distracted, I leaned over to Yusuke and tried to get his attention. I tapped on his desk, but he didn't look at me. I nudged his shoulder, but he still ignored me. Lastly, I crumpled up some paper and threw it at his head, but he caught it before it hit him.

"I understand," he said, flatly.

"What's this all about?" I whispered, "What is she after?"

"I don't know," he answered.

"Shouldn't we do something?" I urged him.

"There's nothing we can do about it at school," he responded, "For the same reason, I doubt she'll try anything."

"...I guess...but still..." I muttered, unsatisfied. I turned to my side to ask Daisuke his opinion, but saw that his seat was still empty. He never came in this morning...was it because of yesterday? Ahh! So many things feel so wrong right now! I have so many worries on my mind! I was struggling to hold it together, when I really just wanted to run out of the classroom and go home. Everything felt wrong. So wrong! I just didn't feel right! It was so...frustrating...and I stayed stressed through the rest of class. I was given time to calm down, so I wasn't panicking anymore. But, I was still concerned. Yusuke had left the classroom to go somewhere, and even though Suzume invited me to spend lunch with her, I politely declined. There was something I had to do.

Viviana was talking with her new friends for a bit, but they left her alone after a bit. The classroom became mostly empty, so I seized my chance, turned around and spoke up.

"Viviana...what are you trying to accomplish?"

"...I suppose I can't blame you for assuming I have some ulterior motive," she replied, closing her eyes, "But, I've only come here to connect with people. The people of the Dominion, and even you, if possible."

"I don't believe you," I stated, coldly.

"Listen, Yuki...I'm not expecting you to simply let bygones be bygones. We've both offended each other greatly. But, I'm not here to fight," she said, seriously.

"...So, you're saying-"

"I still don't approve of your methods, and I don't intend to give up on saving Giorno," she clarified, "But, while we're here, I'd just like to enjoy some semblance of peace. Besides, you sealed away my power. There's not much I can do."

"I guess that's true..." I mumbled, begrudgingly, "But how do you expect to save him without your power?"

"...I don't know..." she answered, honestly. With that single response, I could almost feel the sadness and hopelessness in her voice. Her genuinely despondent response threw me off a bit. She has no idea how she'll do something, and knows that as things stand, her mission is impossible. And yet, she still strives for it. That's...brave of her. I couldn't help but admire her determination. And when I thought of it that way, I thought of Shirley as well. Chasing after Yusuke even when she knows she doesn't stand much of a chance, pushing forward no matter what. Same with Daisuke, I guess. He knows that I don't have feelings for him, but he continues to strive for my affection. Even Yusuke. He's choosing to fight against a super power that controls most of the world, using only a small force he gathered up. All of them strive so hard against adversity even if they don't know how to, and I'm here..wallowing...worrying...

"You're really strong," I said to Viviana, without really thinking.

"...I'm not as strong as you'd think. But I appreciate the compliment," she confessed, "If possible, I hope that I can save you from a dark path as well."

"You know, Viviana; we aren't trying to destroy the world or anything. I know you understand that, and we would never try to hurt the innocent."

"But until one side relents, the conflict with continue. Intentional or not, suffering will come to the innocent," she countered softly. Then, as if she were speaking to an old friend, her expression softened and her heart began to open.

"I just wish that the peace these people enjoy now was enough for Giorno...Even if we had to live under the rule of the Dominion with our nationality stolen, I would be perfectly happy if only I had him beside me..." she confessed, with a quiver in her voice as if on the verge of tears, "And it pains me that he can't see that...I don't know why we can't understand each other anymore..." I didn't know if it was just my feminine empathy or if i was slowly losing my mind, but for a moment I wanted to tell her that everything was going to be alright and I was sure that they would get back together. Strangely...it was like talking to Shirley. This woman whom I've been in conflict with all this time...seemed so different now. Before, she seemed invincibly strong and determined. But seeing her inner struggle...it reminded me of Shirley...and I guess myself, as well.

I sat there, unsure of how to reply, but feeling a desire to comfort her. She stood up, taking her bag from her desk and putting the strap over her shoulder, and as she walked towards the front of the class, she stopped beside my desk.

"Hey...has he talked about me at all?" she asked.

"...No. Not to any of us. But...I'm sure he thinks of you all the time," I answered, genuinely, "You may not think so...but I know that you're still the only one he loves..."

"Really..." she whispered, as if she didn't believe me, "Well, thank you, Yuki. Sorry for dumping all that on you. I'll see you after lunch." With that, she left the room. I was...all by myself now. It gave me some time to think...about a lot of things. About how I was supposed to act around Viviana, about my commitment to Yusuke, about Yusuke and Viviana's relationship...so many things were bothering me at the moment.

"Yuki?" Suzume called, approaching me from behind. I glanced back, seeing her smiling at me sympathetically.

"Hey," I replied.

"I didn't know that you were familiar with Giodini-san," she commented.

"Yeah...I've met her before, but we're not really friends or anything..."

"Really? You sure seemed to be close to her, though," Suzume responded, sounding a bit disappointed. It was at that moment that I remembered the text I got before I left. I looked up to Suzume and asked,

"Did you happen to send me a text this morning?"

"Well, I don't know your number. It couldn't have been me. Did you get a text from someone you don't know?"

"Yeah...I didn't recognize the number. All they did was request to meet me on the roof at lunch. Daisuke isn't here today, so it couldn't be him. I was thinking maybe it was Yusuke, but I forgot to ask..." I pondered. Maybe Viviana...? ...No. I doubt it. Yusuke did leave the room right as lunch began, so it was probably him.

"I guess you'll only find out if you go, then," Suzume suggested.

"Yeah. I'll go do that," I agreed, standing up and grabbing my bag, "Thanks, Suzume."

"Uh huh," she smiled. So, I walked out of the room and made my way down the hall with haste. I took out my phone to check if the person replied, but there was nothing. The last text was me asking who it was. Not much else I could do now. I walked all the way to the far stairwell that led to the roof, climbed up and up, and eventually reached the exit. I wasn't sure what I was going to find atop the school, but all I could do was open the door and see who it was.

I grabbed the handle and turned it, pushing the door open and looking out onto the open rooftop. When I did, I was surprised at who I saw. Well...maybe it would be more accurate to say I was confused. It was a man wearing a long, red and black biker jacket. He had his back to me at first, but as I stepped onto the roof, he twirled around to show his front. He appeared to be wearing a motorcycle helmet that covered his entire face, but what really shocked me was the Duel Disk on his arm. It was different than any of the others I had seen before. It definitely wasn't one from the Rebellion, and it was different than the one Viviana used as well.

He raised it upwards at me, as if to challenge me.

"You want...to duel?" I asked. He nodded slowly. I wasn't sure what he was trying to gain, and I had a feeling Yusuke would disapprove of me having a battle here, but I wanted to know who this person was.

"If I win, will you take off your helmet and show me who you are?" I requested. Once again, he nodded. So, I agreed. I went into my bag and pushed aside my lunchbox and textbooks, then pulled out my Duel Disk and deck, placing the Duel Disk on my arm and preparing to battle. I accepted the Duel Request given to me, and our fight began. Apparently, I was given the first move, so I drew my cards and started things off. I was given a pretty good hand right off the bat, so I was confident in my opening move at the very least.

"Alright. First, I'll summon Miracle Wyvern in Attack Position," I announced.

"Level 4 - 1600 ATK"

"Then, I'll activate 'Temple of the Messiah'," I added, using the Field Spell. When it triggered, the area around us was morphed into a large, elegant temple that was filled with light. Marble statues of Miracle monsters surrounded us, and my Wyvern raised his head further, feeling empowered.

"While this card is on the field, all Miracle monsters gain four hundred attack while battling, and the first Miracle monster to attack or be attacked each turn can't be destroyed by Battle. Lastly, any level four or lower Miracle monster can be used as two tributes for the Tribute Summon of a Light-Attribute monster," I explained, "Now, I set two cards and end my turn." In my backrow, I had Moment of Brilliance and Negate Attack set for safety. I should be safe from anything he can throw at me at this point, at least for his next turn.

He drew one card and looked over his hand briefly, then silently began his turn. It seemed like he wasn't going to speak at all for this duel. That didn't mean that he wasn't competent, though. His opening move completely blew me away.

Immediately after he drew a card, three more cards were ejected from his deck. Instead of adding them to his hand, banishing them, or something like that, he did something totally unexpected.

He added them to his Reinforcement Zone.

"A Rebellion Summon?!" I gasped. A million identities for this man ran through my mind at that moment. He could Rebellion Summon, so he had to be from the Rebellion. But if he was from the Rebellion, he would need to be someone with a high rank to have access to those kinds of cards. As far as I knew, Yusuke and I were the only ones who possessed Rebellion Monsters, so this person had to be close to Yusuke or...was this...Yusuke himself? No...no that can't be. Yusuke wouldn't randomly fight me like this. He wouldn't try to attack me without some reason. If he wanted to test me, he would tell me, right? And this just didn't feel right. This wasn't some friendly duel or anything. I could feel the hostility coming from him. He was taking this seriously. And I became even more unsure when his monster was summoned.

"Perfect Cataclysm Dragon"  
"Level 10 - 4000 ATK"

This card...it was like an Anti-Miracle Monster. It was a feathery dragon, much like Miracle Dragon, yet the feathers were black and gray, and some kind of dark aura was emanating from it. It's eyes were a bright, glowing red, and it gave off an evil and intimidating feeling. This monster was darkness incarnate. But besides it's appearance, it had 4000 Attack. He was able to summon a monster that powerful on turn one. I had never seen Yusuke do something like that on his own, and I had never seen him use these cards. I didn't even know that they existed. If this really was Yusuke, how could he be so different from the one I knew?

Instead of attacking or setting any cards, he simply ended his turn. I didn't know why, but he was obviously skilled enough to have some kind of plan. He was relying solely on this monster, so it must have some incredible hidden power. So, with nothing else to do but push on, I drew a card and prepared my counter-plan. My hand was pretty good, and I did have something that I could use to attack him. I could pull off a significant comeback with this, but I didn't know what other tricks he had up his sleeve or what he had in his hand. All I could do was go in for the attack and try my hardest.

"First, I'll Tribute my Miracle Wyvern; and since Temple of the Messiah is on the field, I can use him as two Tributes! Now, I summon Miracle Dragon!"

"Level 8 - 2500 ATK"

"Next, I'll activate 'Moment of Brilliance'! This card allows me to Special Summon a level four or lower Miracle Monster from my hand, but they're sent to the Graveyard during the End Phase. So, I'll Special Summon Miracle Maiden - Hikari from my hand, then Synchro Summon for a level Ten!"

So, Hikari appeared and began the Synchro sequence with my Miracle Dragon, combining to create an even stronger monster; one that I first saw used by Yusuke.

"Come on out! Miracle Beast - Ziz!"

"Level 10 - 3600 ATK"

"Now Ziz, attack his Dragon!" I ordered, "Shining Strike!" With that command, he launched at the Dragon with extreme speed, claws ready to strike. At the same time, he gained 400 attack due to Temple of the Messiah, putting him at 4000 attack. It also assured that he wouldn't be destroyed by battle, and only my opponent's monster would be destroyed. I was sure that I would at least be able to get rid of his monster, but at that moment, everything went horribly wrong. I had...severely underestimated my opponent, and forgot a key component to ensuring victory...

Just as Ziz went in to strike, his Cataclysm Dragon spread his wings out wide, causing some kind of vortex to appear and pull Ziz toward him. At the same time, Ziz's attack drained all the way to 0, then being added on to his Dragon's attack.

"Level 8 - 8000 ATK" Ziz wasn't stopping either. The attack was still going through. Before I could come up with a counter plan, Ziz attacked the Dragon, getting struck right back and absolutely obliterated. Even though my Temple of the Messiah was on the field, it didn't protect him for some reason. So, not only was his Cataclysm Dragon able to drain the attack of a monster, but it appeared that he could negate effects that prevent the destruction of a monster as well. Even with the other Miracle Dragon in my hand, I couldn't use his effect to save me since I was the one declaring the attack. It was like this guy knew how my deck functioned. He knew exactly what I was going to do and how to counter me. As all this was running through my head, the damage went through. A shockwave of 8000 Attack blew me backwards, shattering the Solid Vision System and ending the duel, reducing my Life Points to zero in an instant. I was tossed back, hitting the ground with a loud thud. I grunted in pain as I landed on the hard roof, knocking the breath out of me and causing my vision to sharply distort. It took several seconds for me to recover, all the while the man made his way towards me. Despite not outwardly showing any hostility, I couldn't help but feel a sharp sense of fear. Every muscle in my body was screaming at me to run.

Despite my weak state, I stood up and resolved to run away. But, just as I looked back over to see where the man was, I was horrified to see that he was right in front of me. My instincts kicking in, I readied a fist and went to attack. But, he grabbed my fist like it was nothing. He was able to grab the rest of my arm and pull it behind me, disabling me and causing great pain. His other arm wrapped around my neck as he attempted to choke me out, and I had no idea why this was happening. I was being strangled. This person couldn't be Yusuke. He would never physically attack me like this. So, if it wasn't him, then who...?

I struggled fiercely, doing my best to resist. Sadly, I wasn't doing well. He still had my arm behind my back, making it painful to move around. I felt myself slipping into unconsciousness, my vision fading further and further. I had no idea what was going to happen to me, but I was terrified. I had never been so afraid in my life.

"Someone...help me..." I whimpered, tears coming to my eyes as I began to pass out. I thought that this was the end for me. I was going to be taken away by that man, or that he might do something unspeakable to me. I was sure of it. My last thoughts as my mind blanked were simply, "someone, please help me." And that plea for help repeated over and over until I completely blacked out.

* * *

"I gotta say; I never expected you of all people to request to join the Student Council," the Student Council President said.

"Oh? And why is that?" I asked.

"From what I've heard, you've always kept to yourself ever since you came here. You weren't a part of any clubs, didn't socialize with anyone at school, nothing. What exactly is your reason for wanting to join us, anyway?" she questioned.

"I guess you could say I'm trying to reform myself," I told her, "I figure I could show people that I care about more than myself by trying to make a positive difference at this school."

"Hm...well, if that's your reason, I have no complaints," she accepted, "Everyone in the school is encouraged to join some extracurricular activity. If this is what you want to participate in, I suppose it's my job as Student Council President to encourage you."

"Thank you," I replied, "I'll do my best to help in anyway I can."

"I look forward to working with you," she said, extending her hand, "I suppose a proper introduction is in order. My name is Cassandra Taylor. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

I took her hand gently in mine, then kissed the top of it, replying,

"The pleasure is all mine, Madame President."

"W-Well...T-thank you," she stuttered, flustered by my advances. Despite their infamous complexity, a woman's heart is a simple thing to manipulate with the right assets in hand. Given enough time, she'll be at my beck and call. That way, I won't be forced to use my ability on her.

"Well, then; I'll be on my way. I'll see you tomorrow, Madame President," I bid farewell.

"Yeah...see you," she replied, with a hint of longing in her voice. All according to plan. It's fortunate I was blessed with a charming appearance. It's an ability on its own, you could say. Not that I need it, exactly. But now, I had something else to attend to; outside of school. I'd have to leave early, but I already took care of our absences and everything. I'd have no problem doing as I pleased in this school. So, I continued down the hall and towards the entry way, but as I approached the stairwell, Viviana came around the corner. We met face to face once again. We both stopped, our eyes locking for a moment.

"...Viviana," I quietly said, feeling the desire to speak with her. Though, I knew that we had nothing to discuss. She knew it as well. Without even speaking my name, she turned her gaze away from me, then continued to walk past me. Still...something came over me, forcing me to speak.

"Viviana," I called forcefully, trying to catch her attention. Though I believed it to be fruitless, she slowed to a halt, but didn't look back. I was surprised.

"...I know you said that you don't want anything to do with me...and I know you don't approve of my methods...but regardless," I started, "I'll wait for you. Until the end of time, if necessary." She remained silent, lowering her head slightly in thought. No reply...just silent acknowledgement. Then, she continued down the hall. If this is how it was going to be...if we were to remain distant like this...so be it. I've come too far - accomplished too much - to turn back now. This isn't only about our dream anymore. This is about the dreams and hopes of the entire world, and it's finally within our grasp. But...If Viviana is suffering because of me...then I have no choice but to correct that.


	32. Friend or Fiend

_One Week Prior..._

* * *

After I was rescued by Yuki, Shirley, Latch, and Daisuke, Latch filled me in on everything that had happened while I was gone. We had recruited enough members to strike at the Dominion, and the new group that joined while I was away was called the Vengeful Shinobi, led by a man called Hachiman. "Hachiman" was the name of the patron deity of warriors in Japanese mythology, so I assume that's why he chose such a name. It was a bit pretentious, if you ask me, especially considering how ineffectual he was in the grand scheme of things. Regardless, I wanted to introduce myself since we were going to be working together.

"Kaiba-sama," Hachiman said, noticing me as I approached.

"Yokoso, Hachiman-san. Ome ni kakarete kouei desu," I replied.

"Doyo ni, Kaiba-sama," he concurred.

"I trust your finding everything satisfactory here?" I asked him.

"Mostly. I do not take kindly to the non-Japanese having free reign to roam. They do not belong here," he told me.

"They're part of this Rebellion, all of them. Without them, I couldn't have accomplished what I've accomplished," I told him.

"Some of these people are Dominion citizens, are they not?"

"Legally, yes. But, so are you." That visibly angered him.

"In my heart...in the hear of the Vengeful Shinobi...we are still Japanese," he said with conviction.

"In the hearts of everyone here, they are no longer part of the Dominion, either. They all fight for the same thing you do. If you wish to fight with us, you're going to have to accept our differences," I informed him, "So, are we going to have any problems?"He remained silent for a moment, then replied,

"Do you truly intend to liberate this world?"

"Yes."

"Then we shall see."

It was obvious in that moment that Hachiman was going to be a problem. If I simply kicked him out now, it would end in another unnecessary conflict. In addition, I wouldn't want to lose all of his troops. I would need to formulate a plan to get rid of him and convince his soldiers to stay under my command...which would take time. Luckily, I had about two weeks before I needed to put my plan into motion. That gave me plenty of time to plan. He was a very predictable person, and as calm and sage-like as he tried to appear, his inner workings were easy to assess. Given the right conditions, he would be nothing more than an unwitting pawn.

* * *

 _Days Later..._

* * *

"You're going to the surface?" Shirley asked me.

"Yes, but only for the day. I'll be back before nightfall," I told her.

"Would you like me to come with you? Just in case?" she suggested.

"No, it's alright. Viviana was the one opponent I had to contest with, her powers being the foremost threat. Now that they've been neutralized, I have nothing to worry about. I can handle myself from here," I assured her.

"I see...okay, then. Take care."

"Thank you," I responded. Then, after grabbing then necessary materials, I headed back to the elevator that led to the School's tunnel. It was the early morning and school started in about 10 minutes. If my prediction was correct, I would get to ensure that our plan would go unhindered by everyone on the surface.

"Heading out?" Buster asked.

Buster was one of our newer recruits, but he had a history with Latch who brought him to us. He was a bit young, only sixteen; but he was intelligent and very devoted. I didn't want him on the front lines of battle, so I assigned him exclusively to checkpoint detail, much to Latch's relief. While Buster was adequately subservient, he lacked a certain...formal etiquette with authority, always referring to me as "Boss Man", rather than something more respectful like "Sir", or even just "Kaiba". In any case, it didn't really bother me. As long as he can do the job he was assigned properly, I had no complaints.

"Yes," I answered, "I have some business on the surface."

"You got it, Boss Man. Opening up," he agreed, walking over to the door and punching in the security code. After the door unlocked, he pulled a lever to open it, letting me into the tunnel.

"I'll be back later tonight," I told him.

"Sure thing. Seeya then," he replied as I walked away. I continued through the hole where the vending machine stood and down the tunnel towards the hatch behind the school stairwell. As I rounded the corner and was clear of the security cameras, I removed my helmet and prepared to put it away in the upcoming wall compartment. But, as I turned it to look at it, I found it strangely repulsive. The red lenses, rebreather, and combat helmet made it look like it was made for someone with the desire for destruction. Someone prepared to destroy everything. I don't know why that thought came to me, but it sickened me. When I thought of it that way, the armor I was wearing felt no different. Though it was true that destruction is a necessary part of war, this uniform that I had fashioned for myself those years ago had suddenly become abhorrent to my eyes.

When I approached the compartment, I undressed and switched with my school uniform, setting the armor that had been my trademark in the ceramic case. Looking over it thoroughly, I realized that it was no longer suitable for me, nor for the Rebellion. I didn't want it to be lead down a path of destruction. Of course, destruction must come before reconstruction, but that doesn't mean we need to destroy the entire world. Only what is necessary. Yes...that is what we must do. With those thoughts, another idea came to mind that I could take care of later.

So, I finished my trek to the hatch, climbing the ladder and making it into the school. The hatch was very well hidden behind the stairs, and the area itself was dark and dirty, making it an unpleasant place for people to hang out. It was almost always completely devoid of students, but there had been times when I had to use my power to wipe people's memories of me coming through there. No one was around to see me this time, so I made it to class without any problems. The other students were surprised to see me again, as it had been quite some time since they had seen me. I paid them no mind, though. I had other things to focus on.

When Mister Hayama (or Hayama-sensei, as the students call him) entered the room, his eyes immediately darted to me.

"Tachibana! You're back!" he exclaimed. I simply nodded.

"Well, the Principle instructed us to send you to him as soon as we saw you here, so get to it," he finished. Excellent.

I stood up and walked out of the class, all the while students whispered behind me. It was obvious what I was going for, but it was all going just as planned. As soon as I stepped into his office, it was time to begin the first steps.

"Tachibana-kun. You understand why you've been called here, don't you?" the Principle asked.

"I assume it's because of my unexcused absence, correct?" I answered.

"Yes. You may be the son of Ryotaro Tachibana, but you're a student here nonetheless. I can't make exceptions simply because of heritage," he argued.

"I understand compl- oh. What's that on your suit, there?" I asked, with surprise in my voice.

"Hm? Where?" he asked, looking downwards. I approached him, saying,

"Right there, don't you see?"

"...Very amusing, Tachibana-kun, but I don't have time for your-" he stopped as I placed my hand forcefully on his forehead.

"Now...I want you to excuse any absence or breach of protocol perpetrated by Yuki Yukihira, Daisuke Nagare, or Myself from now on; as well as ensure the rest of the school staff does the same," I ordered, using my ability.

"Yes. Of course," he agreed, "As you wish." I removed my hand, then returned to the front of his desk, asking,

"I assume our business here is over?"

"Certainly. You're free to go."

"Why, thank you very much," I replied, leaving the room. Now that I assured we were covered at school, I needed to assure Yuki and Daisuke were covered at home...but first...

I left the school grounds, making my way down the hill and towards another checkpoint. There was an empty courtyard nearby that was a meeting place for our agents if need be, and I had set up an...appointment...with someone the other day. I assume they'd be waiting for me already, so I made sure to hustle. I passed several workers and housewives that gave me strange looks, no doubt curious as to why a student is wandering around during school hours. As I got closer to the alleyway I needed to turn on, I was stopped by a Security officer.

"Hold on there, son. You should be at school right now," he said.

"I'm part of the Student Council. I was requested to retrieve a student that's been frequently skipping," I bluffed.

"Student Council, huh? That's not the first time I've heard that excuse, kid. I'm still going to need to see your identification to confirm. Otherwise, I'll need to escort you back," he said, putting a hand on my shoulder with a smile. Little did he know that he only made it easier for me to escape. Laying a hand on a Security officer would be an offense, but he put a hand on me. I only needed physical contact to control him; I didn't necessarily need to be the one to touch him.

"You don't need to see my identification," I told him, activating my power. The mark of command appeared on his forehead and his eyes glowed yellow, showing that the power was working.

"...Right. I understand. I won't hold you up any longer. Keep up the good work," he replied, taking his hand off of me and walking away. Dusting off my shoulder out of habit, I continued on, taking a right down the alleyway, past the checkpoint, and to the courtyard. There, Hachiman was waiting for me. Well...he wasn't waiting for me, per se. I instructed him to wait there for a special contact. He's never seen me without my armor, so he'll have no idea who I am. Not at first, anyway.

When I entered the courtyard, I saw him waiting for me in civilian attire. The only exception was the large Katana he was carrying. If he brought it, it means that he didn't trust that I would send a secure contact. He looked at me with anger in his eyes as I approached him.

"Kaiba sent a Dominion Schoolboy to meet me? That is absolutely disgraceful. I should have known," he sneered.

"Hello, Hachiman," I responded, snidely.

"What do you want, Domino Puppet?" he asked, fiercely.

"I just want to confirm where your loyalties lie," I informed him.

"And who are you to ask such a thing?"

"If you're steadfast in your convictions, I don't see the problem in answering me."

"Hpmh...My loyalties lie where they always have; with Japan and the Japanese people," he said, with absolute certainty, "But you would know nothing of loyalty, boy. You wander life as a lapdog of the Dominion, unbothered by the struggles that the oppressed face alone."

"You're mistaken..." I said, "I know of oppression more than anyone. You are the one who doesn't understand, boy."

"You dare say that to me? You know nothing of our struggle!" he shouted, "Enough! I care not that Kaiba sent you! Your transgressions against our people are unforgivable!" With that, he drew his sword with great speed, then lunged at me preparing to strike. I didn't dodge at all, simply standing there. As soon as he made contact, I blacked out. He dealt a killing blow with a single strike. Impressive, if futile. Moments later, my eyes opened as I was revived.

"I-Impossible...!" he shouted, "You're...a monster!" I got up off the ground, dusting myself off and examining my bloodstained school clothes.

"You truly are a foolhardy brute, Hachiman. Now that I've seen your true colors, I know what to do with you," I said, "Allow me to properly introduce myself. I am Giorno Giodini, but you know me as Kaiba."

"You're...Kaiba...? That's impossible! Kaiba is Japanese!" he argued.

"Sore wa dou kana," I mocked, "Amai na, Hachiman-kun." His eyes and mouth opened wide in terror, then grew tighter with fury.

"You...you betrayed us all..." he grunted, boiling with anger. I began walking towards him, but as I got closer, he readied his sword again and charged at me. This time, I side stepped. As he was flying by me, I grabbed him by the face and forced him to the ground, disarming him simultaneously.

"Now, I have a special assignment for you..."

"...Yes, sir. Anything you desire," he replied, obediently.

* * *

 _Present Day..._

* * *

"Hnn...mmm..."

"You're awake," a familiar voice noted. Slowly, I opened my eyes and regained consciousness. I was so confused at first, but as I became aware of my surroundings, I realized what was going on. That's right...I was beaten by that man and choked out. And now I was tied to a chair, my arms and legs bound to it.

"Who...who are..." I mumbled, feeling incredibly weak. The man was standing a short distance away from me, his back turned.

"You know who I am. Or, perhaps it's more accurate to say, 'You knew who I _was,'_ " he replied, putting his hands on his helmet and slowly removing it. Just from seeing his brown hair and the back of his head, I finally connected the voice to the body. Though his hair was a bit longer and more disheveled, I could tell it was...Yusuke. He finally turned around to reveal himself, but his face was...different. He had scars all over, and he was wearing an eyepatch over one eye. In his hand, he was holding a syringe with a golden yellow liquid inside of it, but I couldn't tell exactly what it was. It was a bit of a shock to the system, making me a bit more awake.

"Yusuke...? But...why?" I asked, desperately, "What's the meaning of this...?"

"To prevent the destruction of everything," he told me, his eye shimmering with determination, "To correct a mistake made out of foolish idealism and overconfidence."

"What are you talking about? What mistake?" I asked, now fully awake.

"That doesn't concern you. For now, I hereby order you;" he began, his eye suddenly turning a golden yellow, just like mine, "You will take this serum and inject it into me in my sleep. Then, you will return to your normal life." At that moment, I felt a surge of energy enter my body, but my power activated on its own and shattered the energy to pieces only moments later. I didn't really notice all this happening at the time, since it was all internal. But, he had used his ability on me and caused my ability to react and cancel it automatically. I guess in addition to being able to neutralize effects on other people, my power protects me from abilities as well.

"...Why do you want me to inject you? What does it do?" I asked, completely dumbfounded. He seemed a bit surprised at that response, but answered me anyway.

"It contains nano-machines that the Dominion developed to end the life of an immortal. Since immortals will regenerate after death, the machines alter their brain and put them in a deep, permanent coma from which they will never awaken. Even if they die of malnutrition while asleep, the nano-machines will simply resume their work when the body is revived. It is impossible to kill an immortal, but this can end their life by halting them indefinitely," he explained, "Now, do as you're told."

"As if I could do something like that! I couldn't just put you to sleep like that!" I shouted, "What about your Rebellion? What about Shirley and Latch? Everyone is counting on you to make their dreams come true! We need you!"

"It's not working...?" he said, confused for some reason, "Perhaps visual contact isn't strong enough. No matter." This time, he walked right up to me and placed his hand on my head, repeating his command.

"I won't do it!" I said to him, "Why are you doing this, anyway? Do you really want to die so badly? What changed so suddenly? You were fine at school today! You were being social!"

"It won't...impossible! You were given an ability as well?!" I was totally lost. I was the one who saved him from Viviana. He should know that I have an ability. We talked about it not too long ago.

He took a few steps back and got a blank look on his face. I guess he was thinking about everything that was happening, but he wasn't answering any of my questions. I had no idea what was going on. What happened to him? Why was he so different? Was he attacked? Did he run off somewhere and get into a fight? Everything that's happening is so unlike him...what the hell is going on?

Just as he began to take another step forward, though, the whole room shook. Suddenly, a hole was blown through the ceiling and light came gushing in, blinding me. Yusuke quickly put his helmet back on immediately after the noise, and just as the sound of boots hitting the ground filled the room, we heard shouting.

"Get on the ground!"

"Let me see your hands!"

It sounded like Security. I could hear clanking sounds, like they had weapons, but everything was too bright for me to see.

"Damn!" Yusuke exclaimed, "What a nuisance!" After that, there was a loud bang and I could hear the Security officers firing their weapons. I closed my eyes tightly, trying to shield myself from what was going on, but only a few seconds later, the sound had died down. The Security officers stopped their firing, began calling out to each other and making sure everyone was okay, then shortly after they began untying me. The door to this building was apparently in front of me, since it opened with a swift whoosh to allow more officers inside. My eyes were beginning to adjust to the light, and it wasn't so hard to see anymore.

"Are you alright, Miss? Are you hurt?" the one in front of me asked.

"I'm fine...but how did you guys know where to find me?" I asked him, "And where am I, anyway?"

"I saw that man bring your unconscious body here, so I followed him to this location," Viviana said, walking into view, "After that, I alerted my contacts within the Dominion. We're within the Sector 12 Redevelopment Zone."

"Viviana..." I murmured.

"Is she a friend of yours, Miss Viviana?" the officer who looked to be in charge asked her.

"Yes. I'll escort her home personally," she confirmed.

"Very well, Miss. We'll just need to let EMR give her a once over, then she'll be free to go," he replied. I observed their conversation carefully, noticing that Viviana obviously has some kind of pull in the Dominion. I didn't know if it was because she worked with them for a short time, or if she's actually a high ranking officer or something. The latter didn't seem very possible, so I had to assume it was the former.

The Security officers helped me out of the chair and out of the building to an ambulance where some medics checked to see if I had any injuries. Thankfully, other than a few scratches and a couple small bruises, I was completely fine. But even so, that was concerning. That person looked almost exactly like Yusuke, but he acted so differently. The real Yusuke would never hurt me like this, would he? He wouldn't try to tie me up and force me to do something...right?

"Do you know who that man was?" Viviana asked me, as the medics packed up and walked away, "We never got a look at his face. He was wearing a helmet when I saw him." I looked up to see her staring at me with suspicion, as if she knew that I had seen who he was.

"Not a clue," I replied with defiance, turning my head away.

"Was it someone from the Rebellion? Someone you know?" she asked.

"Why would someone from the Rebellion kidnap me?" I asked back, casually.

"I don't know, but you're awfully calm for someone who was just kidnapped," she reasoned, seeing right through me, "If it were someone whom you'd never met before, I expect you'd be more shaken up."

"...Interesting theory you got there..." I scoffed.

"...I see you're still wary of me, even though I came to save you. That is to be expected, I suppose..."

"You stole Yusuke away, used your powers to mind control him, and then even tried to do the same to Shirley," I listed, "Yeah. Sorry, but that doesn't give me a whole lot of reason to trust you."

"True enough..." she sighed, "But, I could always just report you to the Dominion."

"Oh? You're threatening me now?"

"No. I'm saying that I have the power to bring you in myself, but I'm choosing not to."

"And why is that?"

"Because whether you believe me or not, I also care for your well being," she explained, "If I can convince you to choose a better path with words rather than force, I'd prefer that."

Huh? Now she's concerned about me?

"Where's this sudden compassion for me coming from? Wasn't I an obstacle not too long ago?"

"I don't know..." she smiled sadly, folding her arms and tilting her head a bit, "Perhaps you remind me a bit of my younger self; getting swept up in the moment and making irreversible mistakes. Perhaps I'm just trying to 'save you' since I was blinded from saving myself..."

That was a pretty insightful answer...

"I don't need saving...I'm content..." I murmured.

"So, if all of your friends in this Rebellion and all your family were to die because of the war, and you lost everything you had, you would still have no regrets?" she asked seriously. That question pierced me like an arrow moving at light speed. It was as if she could see right through my soul somehow, noticing the most important question that I had been trying to avoid asking myself. I was just trying-

"Forget it..." she said, waving her hand, "Come. I'll take you home."

"I can make it home fine by myself," I replied, more respectfully this time.

"What if that man shows up again? Are you prepared to face him?"

"...I'll be fine..." I mumbled, like a child. Just as I said that, though, I saw a couple officers walk behind Viviana - with one of them carrying the syringe with the liquid in it that Yusuke had. The liquid that was supposed to be able to permanently stop him or something...wait...if they had it, wouldn't they be able to use it against him?

No...impossible. Only a few people know that he's an immortal, and Viviana wouldn't tell them that. She's in love with him, so I don't think it's possible that she would sell him out like that...either way...was that _really_ Yusuke?


	33. Gilgamesh

"Kaiba! Thank God, you're back!" Latch exclaimed, running up to me as I exited the elevator.

"What is it, Latch?" I asked him.

"It's bad! Hachiman has turned traitor!" he shouted, "He handed over his entire clan to the Dominion!"

"Is that so..." I mumbled, thinking.

"It is," someone else confirmed, walking forward. Based on his uniform, I could tell that it was one of the Vengeful Shinobi, and because of his decoration, a high ranking member. It only took a moment longer for me to recognize him.

"Ah yes...you were Hachiman's second in command, were you not?" I asked.

"That is correct. I am known as Matasaburo; eldest son of Lord Hachiman. Until his recent betrayal, I was his most trusted companion," he explained.

"Can you tell me what happened, exactly?" I requested. Matasaburo nodded.

"He requested our presence in an industrial area of Sector 9, claiming that he found evidence of a conspiracy you were involved with. If it were true, it would have pointed to an alliance between the Dominion and yourself," he began, "I had my doubts, but I also did not want to openly defy him in front of the other Shinobi. As such, we proceeded to the specified area. However, when we arrived, his trap was sprung. I was narrowly able to escape, but the rest of my comrades were captured."

"He sold you out..." Latch mumbled, clenching his fists in anger, "Your own commander...!"

"Yes; in exchange for being exonerated of his crimes and being accepted into the Dominion. He betrayed us all," Matasaburo said, clenching his fist in anger, "I simply cannot comprehend his actions. Such an act of treachery from him is unthinkable..."

"The greatest deceivers are the hardest to see through. Regardless, it no longer matters. He's sealed his fate and shown his true colors," I replied, "But I assure you: he won't get away with it. We'll rescue your comrades and bring them back." Matasaburo looked up at me in shock, surprised that I even offered such a thing.

"Surely you jest, Kaiba! My comrades are confined in the Eastern Dominion Correctional Facility!" he argued, loudly, "It is said to be impregnable!"

"Then they won't mind if we try," I retorted, starting to walk towards my quarters, "Latch, the moment of truth you've been so eagerly awaiting is at hand. It's time to act."

"You mean...?"

"Yes. Gather all non-essential personnel and prepare for battle," I confirmed. At that order, Latch lit up with enthusiasm; as did Matasaburo.

"Yes, Sir!" they both shouted, proudly.

"Ah, but, Kaiba! Where are you going right now?" Latch asked.

"I'm going to prepare to deal with Hachiman," I told him, "He will continue to be an obstacle until he is dealt with. I'm going to use our contacts within the Dominion to see if we can find him."

"You're going...to kill my father?" Matasaburo asked me.

"Only if he leaves me no other choice. I would prefer to resolve this peacefully," I explained, "Though I won't lie: the chances of this resolving without violence isn't likely. I ask for your forgiveness in advance."

"...Do as you must..." Matasaburo said, obviously feeling very conflicted. Unfortunately for him, Hachiman's fate was already sealed. This was all according to plan, and the next step was to finally make our debut. Hachiman did some excellent work, setting our stage like this. As expected, he made the perfect sacrificial pawn for my plans. It seems my orders were thorough enough for him to follow, and once I completed this next step, his fate would be sealed.

Back when I revealed myself to him, I used my power and gave him specific orders to betray the Vengeful Shinobi, offer them to the Dominion as a way to get inside, and then have them sent to the Eastern Dominion Correctional Facility. As it turns out, Latch still has family locked up there, as do many other of our members. After we rescue all the wrongfully incarcerated prisoners, we'll have the power of justice on our side - an incredibly power force to wield.

"Kaiba?" Shirley called out as I blindly walked past her.

"Oh, my apologies. Did you need something?" I asked.

"I was wondering if you'd seen Yuki or Daisuke around. I saw them together yesterday, but haven't seen them since," she explained.

"Ah...yes. They'll be staying on the surface for the time being," I informed her, "Undercover, in a sense."

"So, that's why they were heading that direction..." she murmured, "Wait...so...you're alone right now?"

"At the moment, yes. I'm off to contact some informants," I confirmed, "Latch will need your assistance soon. I would-"

"Attention all Duelists," Latch's broadcast began, using our emergency intercom system, "All non-essential personnel are to report to the Sector H elevator. Briefing will commence once all available Duelists have arrived. Repeating..."

"What's that about?" Shirley asked.

"The time to strike back against the Dominion is at hand. We will be assaulting their Correctional Facility and releasing our comrades and families that were wrongfully imprisoned," I told her, "Run along, now. As one of my top field commanders, this operation will rely heavily on you."

"Yes, Kaiba!" she accepted, lighting up brightly and running off towards Sector H.

* * *

After Yuki returned home, I went to the hospital once more to give my thanks to Alexis. It was because of her influence that I was able to get so much help, and so Yuki was saved without much trouble. Though I was confident in my skills, I knew that Yuki's life would be in jeopardy if I just barged in there. I wouldn't be able to coax her kidnapper into giving her up without overwhelming force, so the extra help was necessary. On my way through the hospital again, I realized that the walk down the hospital corridors were somehow nostalgic, despite my aversion to this place when I left. I had said that I didn't want to be here back then, that I couldn't handle all the sadness. Yet my feelings remained.

Alexis had brought me to her office in the upper part of the hospital since she was filling out some paperwork at the time, but still wanted to talk with me. She had always been watching out for me, and I was glad to have someone like her by my side. She was like the caring mother that I never knew, and I felt fortunate to have her in this new life I was given. Though at the same time, I felt guilty that I couldn't do anything for her in return because of my own personal feelings. She was sympathetic to my feelings of war and killing, but I still knew that my power could potentially turn the tide for them.

"Thank you again for your help, Alexis," I said, bowing respectfully, "If you hadn't have used your authority to send in a full force, I fear that my friend wouldn't have made it."

"Don't worry about it," she smiled, "I'm just glad that they got there before anything happened to her. Did she make it home alright?"

"Yes, she's quite alright now."

"I see. That's good to hear..." she trailed off, momentarily, "I was in a position like that, long ago. I didn't have the power to save them, so I'm glad you did."

"The same thing happened to you?" I asked, softly.

"Years ago, back when I was a regular soldier, several of my squadmates were captured during the Annexation of the Californian Republic," she explained, glancing at a shelf that held several pictures of men in uniform, "They were taken by PMC's in charge of defending the small country and used as bartering chips to get us to back off."

"I take it that your superiors decided not to negotiate?"

"Yes. Sadly, they decided that the lives of few soldiers were outweighed by our general interests," she continued, "We tried to push through their defenses and stage a rescue, but they were killed before we could reach them."

"I'm sorry to hear that..." I replied, sympathetically.

"I'm sure you understand better than anyone," she smiled sadly, "Their partly the reason why I continue to press onward. I feel like I owe it to them to see this through."

Owe it to them...yes...Giorno once said something similar, didn't he? So that the efforts of our fallen comrades aren't in vain...

"Well, on that note, I'll only ask you once more. After this, I won't try to convince you any further. I promise," she began, "Just to be sure, are you certain that you don't want to assist us? With your help, we could ensure that a disaster like today doesn't happen again. We could create a world of peace, all the while keeping the death count to a minimum. Before you turn your back for good, I'd just like you to be certain of your decision."

When she said that, the memories of the vision I saw came back to me. Giorno and I together in our homeland...the children from the hospital all alive and well...beautiful...serene...peaceful. Today, I was shown that I can't protect even those that are right beside me all of the time. I was lucky enough to witness Yuki being carried away by that man, allowing me to follow him and request backup. There isn't a guarantee that I'll be able to keep everyone I meet at school safe, either. But if I were to fight for peace...if I were to bring about a world like the one I saw...no one would have to suffer anymore, would they? If I joined, then we could minimize the destruction on both sides, she said. If that was true...

"...What would you want me to do?"

"You mean...you want to participate?" she asked, with a shocked expression, "I was certain you'd decline."

"It's just...I've thought about it, talked to some people. I...realize that I could be doing more harm by staying out of all this, instead of lending the help I can offer to bring peace," I explained, "I also don't want the dreams of the fallen to be in vain. Both of our comrades wished for peace, and I agree that for their sake, we should do our best to bring it to them, right?"

"That's true...but..."

"I have something worth fighting for now," I stated, as passionately as possible, "If I have to take the lives of other humans to achieve a brighter future, I'll have to do it."

Alexis leaned back a bit, thinking deeply. She seemed conflicted about letting me back into the action, though she was the one who asked. I got the impression that she wasn't the one who wanted to ask me, but her superiors were ordering her to. I suppose I could understand her apprehension. She saw how distraught I was during the accident with the frame they were testing. I'm sure she didn't want me to have to go through that again, and I bet she wasn't certain I could handle it.

"Tell me this; Are you willing to kill innocents to achieve this future of yours?" she asked.

"Why would I ever need to kill innocents? I'm fighting to protect them," I argued.

"Sometimes, innocent people are part of collateral damage. Even if you see them as mere consequences of war, you'll still have a hand in their deaths. Are you able to accept it, should that happen?" she pressed. I was struggling to answer at first. Even though I was prepared to do what I had to do...I still wasn't willing to kill the innocent. At least...not intentionally.

"I'll protect them. I won't let any of them die," I responded, defiantly. I didn't really know what else to say. That's how I really felt, despite the childishness of it.

Alexis sighed at my response, resting her head on her hand and closing her eyes.

"You know that isn't realistic, Viviana. It's war. You can't save everyone. There will be casualties. Not just soldiers, but innocents too..." she told me, softly, "You can do your best to protect them, but you need to be ready to accept the fact that some of them will die. If you're really going to go all the way with this, you can't run off in despair because you weren't able to save a civilian."

"...I know that..." I mumbled. She opened her eyes and looked to me, saying,

"Well...if you understand and are prepared to deal with the consequences, then there is something that we could use your help with," she admitted, "Actually, it was designed specifically for you."

"What was?" I asked in response.

"Come with me and I'll show you," she finished, standing up and guiding me back out of her office. I got out of my own seat and followed her closely. I didn't know what it was that they made for me, but I assumed it had something to do with Duel Monsters. After all, that's what they originally had me use. That was my signature weapon against the Rebellion, the only person they could call on to combat them at their own game.

When that thought crossed my mind, I became curious about something...

If Giorno was the only one who could ever stand against me in a Duel, how did the others in his Rebellion stack up? I had already faced Yuki and that Shirley girl. They were no match for me. If they were the best that Giorno had, then my only real obstacle would be he, himself. In that case, wiping them out would be rather simple, wouldn't it? But...Giorno wouldn't stand for it. He would put his life on the line to keep his Rebellion going. I would never want to hurt him...but he's just like me; unable to die. No matter what I did...I wouldn't be able to stop him completely.

Once again, we entered that elevator that took us to the gigantic lab and started moving down. I had an uneasy feeling about this place, but if it was what I needed to do, then I would have to get over my unease. I simply clenched my Duel Disk in my hand and kept thinking about the objective. I wouldn't let my feelings get in the way of this anymore. I needed to do this. For the world. For Giorno. For myself.

When we arrived at the bottom and entered the lab, we walked a different direction than before.

"What is this place, exactly?" I asked, "You said it's a military base, but I don't see any soldiers."

"Well, to be more exact, this place is one of the R&D Labs that report to the Dominion Defense Bureau," she revealed, "We study our enemy's defenses, come up with countermeasures, and relay the results back to the government. If they request some kind of technology be developed, we're in charge of making it happen. It's officially a military-funded research facility."

"Countermeasures"..."Some kind of technology"...she means weapons. They make weapons here.

"Why build it under a hospital, though? You've said before that you don't create anything that could endanger the patients, but something unforeseen could occur," I argued.

"I suppose you're right. But, in actuality, the lab was here first. The hospital was built on top of it during the Annexation of Japan, long ago. Back then, there weren't many places to build something as large as the hospital," she explained, "The whole reason this city was built over the ruins of the old one is because it was unsuitable for construction after the war. We needed somewhere safe to care for the injured, and we needed shelter for those who lost their homes during the battles."

"You built this city over the old one...you mean the real city is underground? How did you accomplish such a thing?" I asked, in disbelief.

"It wasn't easy. It took many years. Refugees were sent to the Dominion Homeland while construction was underway, and many workers died in the process," she continued, "But, they laid the foundation for this city. A memorial was erected for everyone lost during that time."

I was still confused. She didn't exactly answer my question, but I figured there was no point in arguing with her. I still had trust in Alexis, even though the last time I was with her, trusting her judgement resulted in me killing someone. That doesn't sound like it gives me much of a reason to trust her, but all the love and compassion she's shown me adds on to it, I suppose. I just decided to take her word for it and keep moving on.

Finally, we reached our destination. It was a room that was smaller than the test room I was in before, and there were a lot more scientists in here.

"Is that...?" one scientist mumbled, walking up to Alexis.

"Yes. She's agreed to help us," Alexis replied, "Is it ready for testing?"

"Ah, yes. We just need to insert the Fusion Packs and we can get it running," he replied, obediently.

"Very good," Alexis smiled, "Right this way, Viviana." Following her further into the room, she began to slow down as we approached a large sheet that was hanging over something. It appeared to be covering some kind of project they were working on. No doubt, the task she had for me involved this.

"Viviana...if you want to turn back, now is the time. From here on out, things will only get more and more difficult. Are you sure you're ready to handle that?" she asked, turning to me with concerned eyes. I glanced down at my hand, seeing my Duel Disk still held tightly. Then, my eyes carried themselves over to my deck.

Tragic Heroes...they've served me well so far. Perhaps there is strength in suffering and tragedy...

"I am prepared," I announced, with finality.

"Very well," Alexis nodded.

"So, is this it? The thing you could use my help with?"

"Yes. This is the magnum opus of Dominion science. Our greatest creation," she told me, "I mentioned before that our Frames weren't strong enough to compete with Duel Monsters, and that was true at the time. However, our fellow colleagues in the homeland were making improvements on our designs, and together, we were able to create a stable model."

"This is it, then? The stable model?" I presumed.

"No, but I was getting to that," she continued, "The stable models are being mass produced as we speak, but some time ago, we were requested to construct a more powerful, experimental unit. At that time, I was preparing to have you taken out of stasis and awoken. So, we modified this to suit your talents." As she finished that sentence, the sheet was lifted up.

Though I was expecting some large, enormous machine, all I saw was a literal metal frame with a metal container near the top. It seemed to have a generally humanoid shape, and near the upper chest was a strangely shaped metal unit.

"What...is this..?" I asked, confused.

"Nothing but a simple frame at the moment," she said, glancing back, "Doctor Richards?"

"Yes, Ma'am," someone behind us agreed. At that moment, the metal container above made a hissing sound, like steam being ejected. Shortly after, a hatch opened up on the backside and a seat slid backwards into the open. At the same time, a metal scaffolding was moved over to allow access to this seat.

"Go ahead, Viviana," Alexis said to me, "Take a seat up there and we'll guide you through the rest." Glancing up for a moment, then following through, I continued up the metal staircase and towards the extended seat. It was like I was ascending a mountain to an unknown land - it certainly felt that way. When I finally made it to the seat and glanced inside the metal box, I saw that it wasn't just a simple container. It was a cockpit.

"Go on, Viviana," Alexis pressed, gently.

I took my first step off of the scaffolding and into the seat. When I was soundly situated, the chair began sliding forward into the rest of the cockpit as the hatch closed behind me, shrouding the box in darkness. It was rather frightening for a moment, and extremely claustrophobic. Before too long, the monitors within activated, lighting it up completely. The monitors all displayed the same message: "Please Insert Key"

"Alexis? Can you hear me?" I called out.

"Loud and clear," she responded, her voice coming from inside, "The cockpit has an integral comm system."

"Ah, I see...well, it says I need a key," I told her.

"It should be right in front of you," she informed me. Looking around for a moment, I saw a Duel Monster card on top of the main display. I guess this is what she meant, and why they needed my help with such a thing. It must rely on Duel Monsters somehow.

"Your Duel Disk should be able to snap into place under the main monitor. Give it a try," she instructed me further. So, I did. Without turning it on, I was able to place it in a snug socket, which seemed to activate the Duel Disk. The field spread out side to sided, giving me room to play cards. I glanced at the one I just picked up to see what it was, exactly.

"Slayer Frame, Gilgamesh", Level 8 Machine-type, 3000 Attack and Defense. It didn't seem too extraordinary until I read its effect through my Duel Disk.

"Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. This card can only be Special Summoned (from your hand, Deck, or Graveyard) by its own effect. Once per turn, if this card is not on the field, Special Summon this card. This card cannot be destroyed by battle or by card effects. Negate the effects of Spells, Traps, and Monster Effects that remove this card from the field or change control of it. This card cannot be tributed or used as a Synchro, Xyz, or Fusion Material Monster, except for the Summon of a "Gilgamesh" monster. This card is also treated as Warrior-type."

So, essentially, once it's summoned, it could never leave the field. It can be Special Summoned once per turn from my hand or Deck as well. Normally, it would come with some kind of condition; such as allowing you to Special Summon it only if your opponent controls a monster and you control no monsters. Obviously this was a custom designed Duel Monster card. This confirmed that it wasn't only Giorno's Rebellion that was receiving new Duel Monster equipment. The Dominion was as well. But...who was supplying them?

When I thought about that, I found myself asking Alexis a question.

"Who is it that created the Gilgamesh card?"

"A...freelancer we contracted. He was familiar with the production of Duel Monster cards. We had a card printing machine locked away from the public that we used for the creation of your deck, as well as the Gilgamesh key card," she explained. The way she paused at the beginning of her explanation gave me the impression that she was hiding something from me. Probably the identity of the card maker. I didn't know why she would need to keep it a secret from me, but it was probably for a good reason.

...A good reason...

I've always given her the benefit of the doubt, haven't I? She's been like a mother figure to me...so I've always felt like I shouldn't question her. But...at this moment...something was bothering me. Something about this situation...felt wrong.

"A freelancer...who, exactly?" I pressed, impulsively. Alexis hesitated, as I assumed she would.

"I'm sorry, but due to our contract with him, I'm not at liberty to say," she admitted, sounding genuinely apologetic. I guess if it was because of a contract, there was nothing I could really do about it. There was no one of authority around at the time, but I was sure there was surveillance all around the lab. Besides, regardless of how well I know her, it would be unwise for her to take a risk by telling me.

"I understand," I told her, nodding.

"Thank you," she replied, "Now go ahead and begin your turn by Summoning Gilgamesh. That's a necessity."

After she said that, my Duel Disk went into Duel Mode and my deck was shuffled. When it finished, I drew my cards and began by Special Summoning Gilgamesh. Afterward, I sat back a bit and got a good look around the cockpit. The monitors in front of me changed instantly and began to boot up. They seemed to display information about what was happening and give visuals of what was around me, while two handles to either side unlatched. They appeared to be the motion controls. If I was going to be using this thing, I needed to know everything about it, so I paid attention to every detail. Just then, Alexis's face appeared on the main monitor in front of me.

"Viviana, prepare to witness the birth of a new type of Duel Monster," she announced. Just then, the view switched to an outside look at the cockpit and metal frame.

"Alright. Stabilizers are active. Activate the Advanced Solid Vision system,' Alexis ordered the other scientists.

"Yes, ma'am," they agreed, flipping some switches. Just as they did, the metal frame around me began to light up with a wide array of colors, similar to how Duel Disks would react. I wasn't really sure what was happening, but Alexis made sure to explain.

"At this moment, the Frame around you is acting as a skeleton for this machine's true form, constructing it around you. Behold, for the first time!"

What I saw next blew me away. Constructed from Solid Vision itself, a large, humanoid machine was manifested around the cockpit I was in and the frame that once held it. It looked like a suit of Knight armor made for a giant, towering above all of us in the room. With a grandiose Golden, Blue, and Silver color scheme and large metal plating, it gave off an air of nobility and deadliness.

"This is the Mobile Frame 'Gilgamesh'. The first Slayer Frame in existence, and the first Duel Monster-Combat Vehicle Hybrid" she explained, "In contrast to the Belmont Frame, which is Powered Armor focused on parrying monsters and eliminating human targets; the Gilgamesh is specifically designed to combat Duel Monsters themselves as well as the Duelists behind them. At the same time, this machine has far more structural integrity and is several times more powerful than anything Real Solid Vision can create at this point. Not only is it stronger, but it is also faster. With you in direct control of it, it has the speed and reflexes of a human and the sheer force of a monster."

"It's...amazing..." I murmured, staring at it's gorgeously ornate exterior from the monitor. Was I...really in control of it? This was enormous compared to Alexis and the others. It towered to the top of the room. It was as if I was one with it, and it was...frightening.

"With it's revolutionary design, this is the first of it's kind. It's more than a war machine, and more than a Duel Monster," she explained further, "Not only is this machine capable of combating Duelists, but it is also possible to completely topple any military technology on the market. It can circle a tank faster than one can turn the barrel, has enough range to eliminate helicopters and jets mid-flight, and can take any kind of artillery head on without trouble."

"If this machine is so powerful, why have someone as inexperienced as me use it?" I asked, "I feel like...this is wasted on me."

"You're the best Duelist we have, and besides, it's an experimental model. It's not meant for mass production like the others, but it's purpose is to test just how strong we can make one machine," she told me, "Don't worry. The order to construct this for you came from the very top. We're all confident in your ability."

"...Yes, Alexis..." That was all I could say. I wasn't entirely confident in myself, but if it was made for me, I had to give it a shot.

"Now, the manual should be in a pocket on the right side of the pilot seat. Do you see it?" she asked. I looked beside the chair and sure enough, the manual was there.

"Yes, I see it," I told her as I picked it up and opened to the first page, reading each line thoroughly.

"That will tell you everything you need to know about how to safely operate it. I suggest thoroughly studying it before taking it for a test."

"Very well," I accepted.

"Domino Dominion Department of Research and Development : Model SVG-2090 : Serial No. GW2-BO3-FNV-YMS : Codename - Gilgamesh", the Manual said.

With this...could I really bring peace to the world? It's true that after Yuki neutralized my power, I didn't have as much of an edge as I used to...

This could once again give me an upper hand...but at what cost?


	34. Resolve and Conquest

**A/N: With no excuse other than "I lost the inspiration to continue writing", I apologize profusely for my unexplained absence after a promised schedule. At this point, a schedule really means nothing, but I will do my best to post regularly. Thank you to everyone who patiently awaited another chapter and stuck with me despite my lack of content and conviction. I'm unworthy of your loyalty.**

* * *

"Hello?" a voice picked up on the line.

"Begin route three, five, delta, nine," I commanded.

"...Yes, of course," they replied. With only that, I hung up. That was the last of the sleeper agents I placed inside of the Dominion I needed to contact for this stage of the operation. They were all to await one final signal before they began their tasks, and now we simply needed to prepare our plan of attack and make our way to the Correctional Facility. Or at least, that's what Latch and the others would be doing. At this moment, the final pillar standing in my way needed to be taken care of.

Once we launched our attack on the Correctional Facility, my existence, and the existence of the Duelist Rebellion would be made apparent. From that moment on, there will be no more lurking in the shadows. With our assault, we declare war on the injustices of the Dominion, and as such, must be prepared for any kind of retaliation. In addition, I could no longer wear this armor that had since become my trademark. It's design was too

I stood up, preparing to go head to my destination. However, it was at that time that I got a call on my phone. Pulling it out of my pocket, removing my helmet, and looking at the caller ID, I saw that it was Yuki. I realized that I hadn't told her of our plans, but they didn't concern her at the moment. I didn't want her taking part in the battle, and it was unlikely that she caught wind of it so fast. If that was the case, I needed to keep her out of it.

"What is it, Yuki?" I asked, answering the call.

"Giorno...it's Viviana," Viviana replied. For a moment, I was frozen in shock. I wasn't expecting her to answer the phone...but...

"...Viviana. Why do you have Yuki's phone?" I questioned her, "Did something happen?"

"She was attacked earlier, but I rescued her," she explained, "She dropped her phone, so I'm returning it to her."

"...I see..." I replied, softly. There was suddenly a strange silence between us. I knew that she must have called me for some other reason than to explain about Yuki, but I was almost...afraid to ask. Just knowing that she was on the other end, listening to me...brought me some strange comfort, and I found myself longing for us to stay like that. I berated myself for heeding such shallow romantic whims at such a pivotal moment in our operation, but I could not shake the feeling of desire I had.

"Do you remember what you told me at school? That you'll wait for me, no matter what?" she said, breaking the silence.

"Of course," I responded.

"I just...wanted to respond to that, since I didn't last time. I couldn't, really..." she continued.

"Alright," I agreed, feeling a sense of hope welling up within my soul.

"I know you said you'd wait...but...don't," she said, her words like a spear of lightning running through my chest.

"What do you-?"

"I'm joining the Dominion, Giorno," she revealed, "I'm going to fight for them. So, from now until this war is over, I am...your enemy." Though I initially felt a sense of pain and dread inside, I couldn't help but feel like this was destined to be. In addition, this was...

"...Just like you," I said, "It's just like you to hold onto your conviction. Even when death and overwhelming resistance stared you down, you vowed to fight for our homeland. Now, even when I am your opponent, you still fight for what you believe in...I'm glad that you haven't changed, Viviana." I could hear her sigh deeply on the other end of the line, but it was more a sigh of relief than sorrow.

"Giorno...I may not get a chance to say this in the near future, and I don't want to go into this war with regrets, so I'll say it now," she started, "I know I said that I don't want anything to do with you, but after talking with Yuki...I can't lie to myself any longer. No matter what happens between us...I can't...I _won't_ ever stop loving you."

"...I feel the same way," I reciprocated.

"I still don't intend on losing to your Rebellion, though. I will fight with everything I have to bring peace, even if it isn't the way you'd want it," she told me, filled with conviction.

"Same to you," I added, "But, what will you do if I win? If I bring about the world I envision and destroy the Dominion, what will you do?"

"You won't win. Although...If you manage to create a world of peace, where everyone can be happy...then we'll see," she told me, "But if the Dominion wins and destroys your Rebellion, what will you do?"

"You already know the answer to that."

"...I suppose I do..." she trailed off, "Well then...goodbye, Giorno..." With that, the line hung up. That was the last time I spoke to Viviana as a friend and a lover. The next time we spoke, it would be as enemies. Though I wished to avoid this situation, I had no choice but to keep moving forward. Viviana and I weren't the only ones affected by this anymore. An entire nation, and maybe an entire planet hinged on our success. I couldn't show her special favoritism anymore. But, thing would run a bit smoother soon. Viviana wouldn't need to worry about me anymore, and that was probably for the best.

Now, it was time to deal with Ryotaro.

* * *

I was sitting the living room, contemplating everything that had happened today. At first, I had thought that Yusuke attacked me for some reason. But, after careful consideration, I realize that more likely than not, it was just somebody who looked like him. An impostor, maybe. There's no way he would forget about my power, and no way he would have acted the way he did. Everything that had happened...it was just too unlike him. If it was an impostor, it would explain why he wanted me to kill him. He could have been an assassin for the Dominion. But...if he was working for the Dominion, he had no reason to run when they came to save me.

Viviana rescuing me was also a bit strange, along with not hearing anything from Daisuke all day...all these things were just so damn weird. I wasn't sure if they were connected at all, but there was no doubt something was going on. After I had gotten back safely, I tried calling Daisuke from home since I dropped my phone somewhere, but I didn't get any response. When I called his home phone, it just rang until it hit voicemail. I wasn't really sure what to make of it, but maybe he was mad at me or something. He said that he would stick me with no matter what...but he seemed to just disappear today...

I also tried to remember Yusuke's number, but I only remember him calling me that one time, so I didn't know his number. The only way I could get it was from my phone, and I didn't have it with me. I just sat there in silence, thinking for quite some time, but not long after, I heard a knock on the door. It snapped me out of my daze for a moment. I was expecting it to be a delivery or something that my mom ordered, but I definitely wasn't counting on it being who I thought it was.

"Viviana?" I asked, surprised to see her standing there.

"I'm here to return this to you," she said, holding my phone out to me, "You dropped it at the crime scene, and I was asked to return it to you."

"Oh...thanks," I replied, taking it, "...Is that the only reason you came?"

"Well...yes, I suppose it was," she agreed, sounding a bit unsure, "Have a good evening, Yuki."

"You too..." I trailed off, watching her walk away. The way she said all that...it sounded like she had some other reason for contacting me, but...I had no way of confirming it. Just as I was watching her head down the street, though, I saw my mom's car pull up. I kind of panicked for a moment, realizing that I was going to be in big trouble once she finally got to talking with me. I was off the hook last night since I went to bed and didn't wake up until she was gone, but now I had no choice but to face her. I tried desperately to think of some kind of excuse, but nothing came to me. All the while, she came closer and closer. For some reason, though, her expression was completely calm. Even more confusing was the fact that she only said,

"Welcome home, Yuki!" to me, and then headed inside. As if nothing were wrong at all, she just brushed it off. She didn't seem worried that I had been gone for over a week and I guess she wasn't told that I got attacked today.

"You...aren't mad?" I asked her, walking up behind her and closing the door.

"Mad about what?" she asked.

"That I was gone for a whole week?"

"It's alright! You'll be fine, no matter what, right?"

"...Huh?" I asked, dumbfounded, "Are you feeling alright, Mom? You aren't just pretending to be okay with it, right?"

"Of course, sweetie. No matter what, you'll be fine. I know that," she confirmed. But, just as I looked incredulously into her eyes, I felt my power resonate. That meant...she was under the effect of an ability? No...no way. The only person with an ability other than me was Yusuke, right? Viviana had one too, but I was able to get rid of hers. Yusuke couldn't have...he couldn't have done something to my mom, right?

I was almost certain he wouldn't, but I had to be sure. Looking straight into her eyes, I activated my powers. At that moment, I felt it working. I heard that same shattering sound and her eyes glowed a golden yellow for a moment. So, she really was...

As soon as the spell was broken, she collapsed to the ground. I quickly went over to her and tried to wake her up, but it was no good. She was unconscious. I had no idea why she fainted when it didn't have that effect on Yusuke, but that didn't matter at this point. I needed to talk to him about this. I wasn't okay with him going this far. Maybe it was for our cause, and maybe I wouldn't have been able to be away for so long if he didn't do this, but there had to be another way! It's just like I told Viviana! Taking away someone's free will...isn't...

Ugh...why am I acting so high and mighty? I did the same thing...I can't go around preaching how stealing someone's free will is so horrible if I already did it...but I still wanted to know why Yusuke chose to use his power instead of just convincing her I was away or something. I also needed to know what the deal was with the person who kidnapped me. He probably knew something about it, and I was almost certain that they weren't the same people.

That's when it hit me, though. Amidst the confusion and questions, I had somehow found an answer to the nagging doubt in the back of my mind. I also found the reason I had been searching for the stay within the Rebellion, and though I hate to say it, it was because Yusuke had lowered himself to do something like control my own mother that I realized it. I knew what I needed to do now.

With that final thought, I took my Duel Disk and deck out of my bag, then set my bag down for my mom to rest her head on. After setting her down gently and letting her rest, I put my Duel Disk on and headed out the door and into the street. As I was heading down the road towards one of the underground checkpoints, I kept hearing a faint noise behind me. I tried ignoring it, but it got louder and louder as I went.

When I finally turned around, I saw just what it was. It was the same monstrous Dragon that the man who kidnapped me used. Perfect Cataclysm Dragon. But, there was something else behind it. A scarlet-feathered creature was following behind him. I wasn't intending to get involved, but as he got nearer, I saw him start to dive downward. I realized that he spotted me, so I tried to avoid it by running to a nearby alley. But, I was too slow. The black dragon grabbed me with his front claws and lifted me up into the air, quickly picking up speed and trying to outrun what was chasing him.

It took me some time to get my bearings since i was flung into the air so quickly, but I was able to get a look around to see what was happening. That's when I saw the person riding the creature that was tailing us. It was...

"Yuki! Hang on! I'll rescue you!"

"Daisuke?!" I exclaimed, in disbelief.

"I activate Crimson-Wing Kaiser Dragon's effect! Once per turn, he can't be destroyed by battle, and I take no Battle Damage from battles with him!" he called out. Crimson-Wing? When did he get that kind of card? I've never even heard of it!

"Kaiser Dragon, attack!" he ordered, his Dragon swooping in to attack the dark beast holding me. I wasn't expecting him to win the battle, but he was able to clash with the Dragon without his monster getting destroyed. At the same time, he was able to snatch me from the talons of the monster and bring me onto his own monster's back along with him. It was a bit of a shock to the system getting shaken around so much, but I was okay.

"Are you alright, Yuki?" Daisuke asked, putting his hand on my back.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I told him, "But I've got a bunch of questions for you once this is over."

"No problem. You can ask as many as you want when we're done here," he agreed, "For now, let's kick his ass!"

With that, I joined into the Duel as Daisuke ended his turn, allowing me to go next. When I joined, my Duel Disk announced an "Intrusion Penalty", halving my Life Points from the start, but that was alright. I had Daisuke with me, and in addition, I drew a very good hand. I had some cards that I had never used before this point, and the combination I could perform was more than suitable for this battle.

"Daisuke, I've made up my mind," I said to him, "I'm staying in the Rebellion, but not just because Tachibana is there. Not even because Latch and Shirley are there. I'm staying so that I can make sure they stay on the right path."

"The right path?" he asked me.

"Even if they have a good goal, they can still turn to evil methods. I will continue to stay with them, but only to make sure that no one needs to suffer needlessly, and that their goals aren't achieved through evil means," I told him, with conviction, "And I won't let either of us die in the process."

"...Glad to hear it," Daisuke told me with a smile, "I'm with you, till the very end."

So, as I went to finally begin my turn, I suddenly felt something strange within me. At the same time, my Pendant began to glow vibrantly and I heard it's words echo throughout my mind.

"You found it, Yuki. This is what it is like to fight without a shred of doubt. To give everything you have for what you undeniably believe in."

I felt as if I was beginning to lose control of my own body, but not in a bad way. More like...I was being guided. Letting my mind go free, I continued as best I could.

"Using my Scale One 'Miracle Apprentice - Gilferd', and my Scale Nine 'Miracle Magician - Vermillion', I set the Pendulum Scale!" I announced, my two monsters floating up into their positions above me, "With this, I can Summon monsters from Level two through eight!"

"Pendulum Summon, huh?" Daisuke noted, with a smirk.

"Yurero, unmei no furiko. Semari kuru toki o kizami. Mirai to kako o ikikae! Pendyuramu Shokan!" I called, with words that came from the depth of my heart, "Saa, koi, Atashi no monsuta-tachi!"

"What is she...?" Daisuke mumbled to himself, but loud enough for me to hear it. Honestly, I wasn't really sure what I was saying, either. It just of came out.

"Level Four, Miracle Priestess - Iroha!"  
"Level 4 - 500 ATK"

"Level Two, Miracle Princess - Yukari!"  
"Level 2 - 300 ATK"

"And finally, making her debut: Level Eight, 'Miracle Paladin - Aegis'!"  
"Level 8 - 3000 ATK"

There stood before me a field full of monsters, headed by my newest member, Miralce Paladin - Aegis. She was a tall, thin woman wearing pure white armor with golden trim and wielding two short swords. Her long blonde hair flowed behind her, and her helmet covered all but her eyes.

The man in front of us took a sharp turn on his monster, flying around in a tight U to turn around. Daisuke, gripping onto me to keep me balanced, had his monster do the same and follow behind. When we got stable again, Daisuke spoke up about our situation.

"That's a great lineup you got, Yuki, but his Monster has three-thousand five hundred attack at the moment, and he can reduce your attack to zero and add it to his when you attack him. He can also negate Field effects," Daisuke told me, "We're going need more than a bunch of monsters on the field to get rid of it."

"Three-thousand five hundred? I thought he had four-thousand," I noted

"Well, he _did_. His monster's attack is permanently reduced by five hundred during the End Phase when he activates the effect," he explained.

"Wait...you survived that attack drain?" I asked, surprised, "That ended me in one go!"

"Thanks to my Crimson-Wing's effect, I can take zero Battle Damage when attacking and prevent his destruction by battle," he continued.

"That's a really powerful effect..." I replied, "So, are there any other conditions to his Dragon's effect?"

"His effect can only be activated if he has attack left to lower. So, basically, he can only use it a total of eight times," Daisuke elaborated, "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Yeah. We force him to use his effect until we can blow right through him," I agreed, "But unlike you, I don't currently have anything that will let me survive attacking that thing."

"Don't worry about that part," Daisuke replied, "I'll make sure you survive. Just be sure that you can destroy that Dragon this turn, or else we're in a world of hurt during his next move."

Nodding and continuing my turn, I began the setup for our comeback.

"I activate my Miracle Magician's Pendulum Effect! Once per turn, I can Tribute a monster on my side of the field, then make every other monster I control the same level as the Tributed monster! I choose Miracle Paladin - Aegis!"

"You're going to throw away your strongest monster?" Daisuke asked me, confused, "That wasn't exactly the plan I had in mind..."

"Miracle Paladin - Aegis's effect activates! When she would be offered as a Tribute by another card's effect, I can switch her into the Pendulum Zone instead of sending her to the Graveyard!" I continued, Aegis taking her place in the Pendulum Zone and my Miracle Magician joining my other monsters on the Field. With that, each of my monsters became Level 8, and my Miracle Magician was already Level 8.

"Now, I take all three Level Eight Monsters on my field, and overlay them!" I commanded, all three of them flying into the galactic portal and erupting with light. From the portal came another new monster, one I had not summoned yet in a Duel.

"Miraculous spellcaster of life and beginnings, emerge with your brilliance and erase the shadowy darkness before you!" I chanted, "Xyz Summon! Now, appear! Rank Eight, Celestial Sorcerer - Eden!"

"Rank 8 - 3200 ATK"

"Next, Miracle Magician - Vermillion's effect triggers. When he's used as an Xyz Material for the Summon of a Light-Attribute Spellcaster-type, that monster gains a level equal to it's rank!"

"Level 8 - 3200 ATK"

"Additionally, I detach one Xyz Material to use Eden's effect!" I pressed, "He gains one hundred attack for every level in the combined level of every monster on my field!"

"Level 8 - 4000 ATK"

"Nice, Yuki! He's strong enough to attack his dragon now!' Daisuke cheered me on.

"Battle! I attack with Celestial Sorcerer - Eden!" I declared, "Starlight Flare!" On my order, Eden raised his rose-covered staff and charged his magic, then unleashed a blast of radiant light at the dark dragon. In response, the Dragon spread its wings and absorbed the attack, reducing Eden's attack to zero and raising his by the same amount.

"Level 8 - 0 ATK"  
"Level 10 -7500 ATK"

Immediately after, the Dragon unleashed his own blast of dark energy that was set to wipe me out completely if it connected. Daisuke seemed to have a plan, though.

"I activate Crimson-Wing Shockwave!" he called out, "If I control a Crimson-Wing Monster, I can target another face-up monster and switch it to Defense Position, and he can't be changed until the End Phase of the next turn! I choose your Perfect Cataclysm Dragon!"

So, Daisuke's monster spread his wings out wide, causing a gale to fly towards the Cataclysm Dragon. Not only did it dissipate the attack, but it forced the dragon to switch to defense position.

"Level 10 - 0 DEF"

"He has zero defense?" Daisuke asked, surprised, "This is our chance, then!"

"I activate my Continuous Spell, Skyhaven Colosseum! If a Light-Attribute Monster I controlled battled, but didn't destroy the attacking monster, they can attack once again. Also, Light-Attribute monsters on the field can't be targeted by card effects or destroyed by battle during the Battle Phase!"

"And since Damage Calculation ended, so did Cataclysm Dragon's effect," Daisuke added, showing that my monster now had his attack back.

"Level 8 - 4000 ATK"

"One more time, Eden! Attack his Cataclysm Dragon! Starlight Flare!" I ordered. Once again, Eden held back his staff in a heroic comeback, unleashing a blast at the Dragon. I was filled with invigoration and hope, believing we finally had that monster beat. And I was right, but not the way I wanted.

Eden's attack connected and destroyed the Dragon, causing Yusuke's lookalike to plummet to the buildings below. Daisuke ordered his Dragon to pursue, and we followed his descent. He appeared prepared for this, though, and spread out his jacket almost like wings which slowed his fall. He was able to roll and survive the long fall, but it was obvious that he didn't land without injury. When he stood up once more, his leg almost gave out. He seemed to have hurt it pretty badly. Even though this would usually make me feel bad, I didn't have any doubts any longer. I would crush the evil in this world, and this person was definitely evil.

Daisuke's monster landed on the ground, and both of us dismounted, preparing to take the fight to the ground. Once the smoke around us cleared, I discovered that our skillfully executed move was only playing into his hands. A trap card had raised itself: "Infrablack Evolution". The moment that Cataclysm Dragon was destroyed, the sky became dark and cloudy, but light still seemed to be shining through the clouds. Shortly after, another Dragon rose from the ground in front of our opponent.

"Infrablack Cataclysm Dragon"  
"Level 10 - 4500 ATK"

The Dragon had a black and gold color scheme to it, but instead of feathers like the previous monster, it had scales. It seemed to be wearing a mask that covered its eyes, as well as had chains wrapped around its forearms. It reminded me a bit of Fury-Eyes, which didn't help to separate Yusuke from his lookalike.

"What the hell?!" Daisuke cried, outraged.

"When a Cataclysm monster I have is destroyed by battle, I can use this card to Banish that monster from the Graveyard and Special Summon an Infrablack Monster that lists the Banished monster as a requirement," Yusuke's lookalike explained, "And unfortunately for you, Infrablack Monsters are always simultaneously Dark and Light-Attribute."

"So, my Skyhaven Colosseum..."

"...Also protects my Infrablack Monsters," he confirmed, "That's a rather useful card I forgot about...so then..."

Just then, his Dragon pulled its arm back for a moment, then threw it forward to send a chain out towards my field. The chain pierced my Skyhaven Colosseum and shattered it, but was then set face-down on his own field.

"I underestimated you both, so I won't hold back any longer," he told us, "If my opponent controls a Spell or Trap that specifically affects Dark or Light-Attribute Monsters, I can destroy it, then set it on my own field."

"Even if you activate it, Yuki's monsters will still be protected," Daisuke argued, "You haven't really done anything."

"Who said I'm going to activate the Spell?" he responded, "I activate my Trap Card, 'Darklight Twin-Cannon'! If I control an 'Infrablack' Monster, I can send a face-down continuous spell from my field to the Graveyard, then destroy two cards on the field, and if the cards are one Dark and one Light-Attribute Monster, an Infrablack Monster I control gains attack equal to their combined attack! I choose Daisuke's Kaiser Dragon and Yuki's Celestial Sorcerer!"

So, by getting rid of my Spell protecting both our monsters, he triggered his final set card. A high-tech, black and gold cannon appeared in front of his field and charged up its shot. It's twin barrels stared Daisuke and myself down while we both did our best to think of a way out of this. I had nothing in my hand and nothing set on the field. My Pendulums were still there, but neither of them could protect my monster from this effect. Gilfred was able to negate Spells, but only during my opponents turn. Not only was it my turn, but Darklight Twin-Cannon was a Trap Card.

"Sorry, Yuki. I've got nothing..." Daisuke said, cringing in regret. At that time, the effect went off, destroying both my Eden and his Kaiser Dragon and adding their combined attack to his Infrablack Cataclysm Dragon.

"Level 10 - 12000 ATK"

"Holy...twelve-thousand attack...?" Daisuke murmured.

Although I could always Pendulum Summon next turn, our field were completely empty, and that Monster had more than enough attack to finish either of us. Even if he only took out one of us and ended his turn, he was probably going to aim for me, since I would be able to pull out more monsters next turn more easily than Daisuke could. On top of that, even if he decided to let me continue, there was no way I could summon anything that could match the raw power his Dragon had...I wasn't sure we could win at this point.

"What you two don't understand is that you were doomed from the beginning," Yusuke's lookalike said, "In the far distant future, there exists a time: a time where darkness and light are one, where the impossibilities of your world are commonplace, and where dueling has evolved far beyond your understanding. There exists no one in this place strong enough to defeat me. With this power on my side..."

* * *

"...I will undo the errors of the past," I explained, staring down Ryotaro while Misaki stood holding a gun to his head in a similar fashion as she held one to mine. After my talk with Viviana, I left Latch and Shirley to rally the troops and organize our plans of attack, giving them all the tools they needed. While they prepared, I flew with my Blue-Eyes to Ryotaro's estate, all the while triggering the figurative time bombs I had laid all about. I disabled his security system from within, closed off all methods of escape, and even secured his company for myself. I had taken everything from him but his life, and that was soon to be taken as well.

"...You managed to sway Misaki to your side, thwart every security measure I put in place, and steal my company out from under me...what an ungrateful little upstart you've become, Yusuke," Ryotaro said through gritted teeth, sweat dripping from his brow.

"You should be overjoyed, _father_ ," I mocked, derisively, "You must admit that this feat required an exceptional amount of skill and intelligence. This company finally has a CEO worthy of its power."

"And now that it's yours, do you seriously believe you can keep up your masquerade?" he asked, "I highly doubt that my Board of Directors will support the leader of-"

"They've already expressed their undying loyalty to me. Just as Misaki has, isn't that right?" I said, looking towards her.

"Of course, Master Kaiba," she agreed, "It is exactly as you say. The Dominion shall fall and the Rebellion will liberate this land." Ryotaro couldn't do anything but grit his teeth in repressed rage.

"So, now that you've stolen everything I have from me, what do you intend to do?" he asked.

"You're wrong, Ryotaro. I haven't taken _everything_..." I suggested with a smirk.

"You intend to kill me?" he said, smirking back, "Even though I'm the only reason you were able to come as far as you have? If not for me, you'd still be a lab rat in a coma. You can't kill me."

"Hmm...I suppose you're right..." I sighed, turning my back and walking away as Misaki pulled the trigger on her pistol, killing Ryotaro, " _I_ can't kill you."

"Master Kaiba, what do you intend to do now?" Misaki asked me, politely.

"I'm off to free some allies from the correctional facility," I explained, "Has my new gear been prepared?"

"Yes, Master Kaiba," she confirmed, "Just as you ordered."

"Excellent. I'll pick it up on my way out," I told her, "If there's nothing else-"

"There is, Master Kaiba," Misaki told me, "I have more relevant information about the immortals."

"You do?"

"Yes. Apparently, they are housing clones in incubation chambers underneath the Correctional Facility," she revealed.

"Why there of all places?" I questioned.

"I am unable to confirm definitively, but multiple references throughout Ryotaro's data transmissions suggest they are using Prisoners as a type of life-source for the clones," she tried to explain, "Shall I forward relevant data to your new Tac-Pad?"

"Yes, please do. This information will be invaluable," I accepted, turning and quickly walking away.

"Very well. What shall I do with this body?" she continued.

"Dispose of it."

"As you wish."


	35. Decisive Action

"You're from...the future?" I asked, finally understanding, "You really are Yusuke...but you're from the future?"

"Perhaps..." he replied. Perhaps? What does that mean?

"That's Tachibana?" Daisuke asked me.

"Kind of...but he's different from the one we know." Just as I was saying that, we heard sirens approaching, but they appeared to be coming from the sky. Looking upwards, we saw what appeared to be small airships approaching quickly. They were blue and white - Security, no doubt. Obviously with giant dragons flying around the sky, people were going to freak out and alert the authorities. Didn't think about that beforehand...

"It appears that our time is up," the other Yusuke said, "I can't afford to waste anymo-" Before he could finish, some kind metal spear came from out of nowhere. It pierced straight through his Dragon's head and destroyed him entirely, plunging into the building behind it. Afterwards, some kind of wire it was attached to began retracting and pulling it back to the source.

"What the...?!" he gasped, looking around for whatever fired it. It didn't take long for us to see, though. Tracing the cord back, we saw it had come from something on the opposing building top.

* * *

"We have visual confirmation," the operator on the radio said, "Target destroyed."

"Excellent work, Viviana," Alexis added, "You're a natural."

On my way back to the hospital, Alexis contacted me and said that the Dominion had received reports of Duel Monsters fighting in the skies above the housing district. She decided that this was the perfect opportunity to take the Gilgamesh out for its first field test with its new pilot. The Gilgamesh's frame was transported to a nearby location where I met them, and we began the preparations.

"We aren't sure exactly how long the Fusion Packs will keep the Gilgamesh running, especially while in combat, so watch your energy gauge and keep mission time to a minimum. This is just a field test," Alexis explained to me as I got inside the cockpit again.

"Yes, Alexis," I agreed.

"Since we're not technically a Security task force, we're bordering on overstepping our bounds here," she continued, "Don't get in the way of Security if at all possible. We're essentially a backup unit."

I Special Summoned Gilgamesh to the field which began the construction of the body. Since there weren't any cameras to show me the progress, I only had small display inside of the cockpit to inform me "Boot Sequence: 10%..." it read, it's systems slowly coming online.

"Interface Synchronization, optimal," a voice from the tech team said over the comm, "Solid Vision System at one hundred percent efficiency." I gripped the controls and placed my feet on the pedals, ready to hunt down and stop whatever was causing this disturbance. Though I was told that I was only a backup unit, I wasn't going to just sit there and let Security officers throw their lives away against Duel Monsters. Even though they knew the risk, they still fought against almost impossible odds. If I could minimize the casualties and let them return home to their families, that was exactly what I was going to do.

"Slayer Frame Gilgamesh now activating," the voice continued. The Boot Sequence reached 100% as Gilgamesh's body was completed, allowing me to control it.

"Prepare to launch," Alexis said to me, as I got into a readied position.

"Launch!"

With that, I throttled forward and took off through the streets, tracking the targets on my HUD as I went. They were quite a bit ahead of me at this point, having flown overhead before Gilgamesh was activated. Since Gilgamesh couldn't fly, I needed to wait for the targets to either slow down or stop before I could properly attack. Although it was completely possible for the Gilgamesh to assault airborne targets, I wasn't dexterous enough with the controls to perform such maneuvers. Alexis told me it was possible to scale buildings with Gilgamesh's Skate-System as well, but that, too, seemed more than I could handle at the time. We both agreed that it was best to play it safe for this test run. Wrecking the Gilgamesh on its first mission would be...problematic.

I couldn't exactly see who it was that was fighting, but it appeared that it was a two on one Duel. This further confused me. I was under the impression that Giorno's Rebellion was one, unified force. If they were the only other people in possession of Duel Monsters, then this must mean there was some sort of infighting. I figured that a training match was possible, but I doubt that they would do it in such a wide open public place that would attract so much attention.

I suppose the worst case scenario is that Duel Monster cards and Duel Disks are being produced and distributed among the general populace without the Dominion's knowledge. Either that or there's someone near the top who's covering it all up. I don't know which is worse. I'm not agreeing with Giorno using Duel Monsters to wage war, and I don't think that he can win without significant collateral damage. However, I do believe that he would never take an innocent life or foolishly misuse Duel Monsters for selfish gain like a criminal. If his Rebellion was the only thing that possessed these cards, I would be a bit more at ease.

Eventually, one of the monsters was destroyed and a participant fell to a nearby rooftop, so I took that opportunity to slowly climb up to a building on the opposite side of the street. From up there, I would be able to take aim and see who it was that was fighting. Luckily, the building itself seemed to be empty. I was able to dig into the surface with Gilgamesh's finger and hoist myself upwards without risking anyone inside. Glancing through the windows revealed what appeared to be an office closed for renovations. When I reached the roof and was properly positioned, I activated "Moon Mirror Shield" and equipped it to Gilgamesh. Then, I began testing the machine's integral weapons.

The shoulders of Gilgamesh had what appeared to be large shields mounted on them, and the bottom of those shields housed lance-like weapons called Xenocet Decimator Pikes. According to the manual, the twin shields could be lowered onto the machine's forearms and used for defense. Additionally, the Pikes could be used for CQC combat as wrist mounted melee weapons, launched as wire-guided harpoon projectiles, or partially launched and used as a flail. Remembering everything I had read, I attempted the inputs. Though I was unsure of my memory, I was able to pull it off on my first try.

The shoulder pads lowered onto the wrists and the Xenocet launcher primed. Then after taking aim and locking onto my target with Gilgamesh's targeting system, I pulled a trigger-like button on the back of the left control stick and fired. To my surprise, it was more accurate than most ballistic rifles I had seen in my life, and it took almost no effort from me at all. Almost like a cheat code in a game to never miss a target, the Decimator Pike flew at blinding speed and scored a direct headshot on the large black dragon, destroying it instantly thanks to Moon Mirror Shield.

The Duelists initially looked confused, trying to find me. When the Pike retracted and was pulled back into it's housing, they were able to track it's path and discover my location. When they looked towards me, I zoomed in with Gilgamesh's display and finally confirmed who they were.

* * *

"What is _that?!_ " Daisuke shouted, "It completely obliterated his monster in one shot!"

"Once again, the Dominion insists on pestering me!" the other Yusuke groaned, sounding extremely angry. Without even another word to us, he started to back up towards the building's back edge as quickly as he could with his injured leg. As soon as he got close enough, he jumped off, simultaneously forfeiting the Duel and giving us the win. I wanted to track him down and question him, but now was obviously not the time. The Dominion had some kind of new crazy weapon that could take down a 4500 ATK Duel Monster without any effort. We were in no shape to tackle that thing. It was kind of hard to see from where we were, but it was almost like a robot of some kind.

"Come on, Yuki!" Daisuke called, having ran over to a door atop the roof while I was contemplating everything, "This way!"

"R-Right!" I accepted, running to him as he forced it open. We began heading downward through a dense and tall flight of stairs, all the while praying that whatever that thing was that attacked wasn't after us right now. In this situation, we really had nowhere to go. These stairs were our only way down, and down was the only way to go. If we went back up, we'd be forced to escape by jumping off the roof. If that thing came after us, I doubt we'd be able to Summon anything strong enough, quick enough. So, if it was waiting for us at the bottom...we were doomed.

"I don't know whether to be happy or panicked right now," Daisuke commented as we hurried downward, "We don't have to deal with that dude anymore, but now we might have something even worse after us."

"We'll just have to cross that bridge when we come to it," I told him, "This is a one way road right now."

"Yeah..." he sighed.

"So, care to explain everything that's been going on?" I asked, "We certainly have time, and if this really is the end of the line, I'd like to know."

"Okay. What do you want to know?"

"Why you were fighting him in the first place. Where you got those new cards from. Why you weren't at school. You know, simple stuff," I replied, with a hint of sarcasm.

"He ambushed me on my way home from the Dentist, they were in the mail this morning, and I had a Dentist appointment I forgot about in the afternoon so I just stayed home," he explained, in order.

"...Okay..." I said back, a little unsure of where to go next with such direct answers, "So...who sent you the cards?"

"Dunno. Couldn't have been the postal service, since they wouldn't have come that early. I'm not complaining though. I was studying them all night, and I think I can get really good with these," he continued, "They're a cross of the Red Dragon Archfiend and Blackwing archetype, so they absolutely dominate with field presence and high damage output."

"You're suddenly talking like you have a flawless understanding of the game," I noted, "It seems like you've changed...or...adapted pretty quickly."

"Well, after we talked yesterday, I realized that you didn't intend to back down. If I was going to protect you, I needed to learn the name of the game, you know?" he said, smiling at me. So...he decided to get stronger for my sake. That's just like him.

"Thanks, Daisuke. We'll make it through this, no matter what," I assured him.

"I know we will," he agreed, as we neared the bottom of the stairs. It was completely silent in the building, so we were pretty sure that they hadn't followed us. I was wondering if they were only targeting the other Yusuke, or if they didn't see us at all. Either way, if we could get out of here without having to confront the Dominion, that would be best. When we finally got to the hall that was at the bottom, we checked the area thoroughly, but didn't see any signs of anyone following us. From the looks of it, this was some kind of abandoned business building. There were traces of wires and things being routed from room to room, as well as some spots that looked like they used to be offices, but it was all empty and in a state of disrepair. Taking the opportunity to get further away, we walked through the halls of this building and tried to find a back exit.

Normally this would be pretty scary - walking though an abandoned building right as night was beginning to fall - but, I felt safe with Daisuke with me.

"In hindsight, fighting that guy while flying around the city probably wasn't the best idea," Daisuke joked, trying to lighten the mood, "You said he was kind of like Tachibana, right?"

"Yeah. Kind of. If I'm getting this right, he's what Yusuke will become in the future," I told him, "But he's so entirely different from the Yusuke we know now. I have no idea what could change him like that."

"You met him before, then?"

"Mhm. Dueled him, too, but not for very long. He wiped me out in only three turns."

"Damn..." he sighed, "Once we get out of here, we'll have to contact the real Tachibana about it, then."

"Yeah..."

* * *

Yuki and that man who kidnapped her yesterday...they were fighting with Duel Monsters. That settles it. It must be someone she knows. There isn't anyone else who has Duel Monsters, right? The Dominion would know about it. Is he an old friend of hers? Is the Rebellion split into factions? Is he just someone who happened upon some cards? Or maybe he's a deserter? But why is she constantly involved with him, then? It seems like there must be something more going on here, and I intend to find out.

"Targets have fallen back. Beginning pursuit," I radioed.

"Negative. Ground team is en route. The building is condemned due to structural weakness. Bringing in the Gilgamesh risks a collapse."

"That's a valid concern..." I mumbled, "Roger. Awaiting further instruction."

"RTB for retasking and recharge," they told me.

"WILCO," I accepted, turning Gilgamesh towards the back of the building and beginning to make my way down. Now that I finally took it out and about, I was getting a feel for what piloting these kinds of things was like. The biggest thing I'd ever "piloted" before was a commandeered tank during our fight against the Dominion, but Gilgamesh was nothing like that. Not only was it bigger, but it was tremendously faster and more complex. The two handles that were used for piloting were confusing enough as they were, but there were a plethora of buttons and switches inside - most of which had a function beyond my understanding.

The handles themselves could be used to operate the arms of the Gilgamesh (with five small "triggers" that would operate each finger), while pedals beneath my feet would accelerate or brake. There were wheels under the feet that were used for speedy travel (called a Skate-System), and they could be retracted if I wanted to gain more traction along the ground, or extended out sideways to move upwards in tight spaces. Just thinking about all of the different functions boggled my mind. Not only was this an incredible feat of engineering, but also a puzzling one. I had many questions, but decided to save them for Alexis once I got back for refueling. I thought that I might understand a bit more once I took it out myself, but I was possibly even more confused afterward.

I wasn't entirely sure how I was controlling the Duel Monster itself. I could understand if this was an entire machine, built from the ground up - but before I put in the key card, this is just a cockpit attached to a simple metal frame. The Duel Monster, Gilgamesh, is an entirely separate entity. If the Duel Monster was being constructed around the cockpit, how in the world did any of this work?

"It's an engineering shortcut," Alexis told me, as the Gilgamesh disappeared and the Solid Vision field was shut down, "Since the Solid Vision system virtually constructs things based on pre-programmed designs, we essentially only needed to build a cockpit and then program the rest."

"So the Solid Vision system constructs all the connections needed to make it function?" I asked.

"Yes. So although the Gilgamesh is a monster, it's no more than a puppet being controlled by strings," she clarified, beginning to write notes on a clip board, "I must admit: It's inspiring to see it functioning so well. Given enough time and resources, entire cities could be instantaneously constructed with this technology."

"That would be wonderful," I agreed with a smile.

"We're definitely going to need to find a more sufficient power source, though..." Alexis sighed, "You only took it out for about a half hour and the Fusion Cartridge is half-empty..."

"Does that mean it won't be ready for the front lines until then?" I asked.

"We put a contingency in place, since we foresaw this happening. The Gilgamesh's cockpit is able to hold a Fusion Cartridge up to five times as strong as the one you're using. Assuming a single one of these lasts one hour, that's about a five hour mission-time at maximum," she mentioned, staring at the unloaded battery and biting her pencil, "At least for now, the Gilgamesh won't be pulling any all-nighters. And you shouldn't, either."

"Me?"

"You have school tomorrow, right? It'll be dark any minute now."

"Ah...yes...I almost forgot," I replied, "Thank you, Alexis. I was glad that I could help today."

"No. Thank _you_ , Viviana. If you hadn't deci-" At that moment, a technician ran over to Alexis with an urgent expression and whispered something to her.

"...They did _what?!_ "

* * *

"We have visual. Are you getting this, Latch?" he asked.

"Yeah..." I mumbled in frustration. We had made it to the Correctional Facility rendezvous point at the top of an overlooking cliff, but we were forced to come to a halt. What we didn't anticipate was the giant kinetic barrier surrounding the entire place. We weren't entirely sure how strong it was, but Kaiba was very clear when he told us that we were to remain undetected until he arrived. If we were to launch an assault on the barrier to try and break it down, we would almost certainly be discovered. Our forte is unstoppable force, not stealth. All I was able to do was dispatch the strike teams to their designated hold points and wait for Kaiba to arrive.

"Where is he...?" I sighed, becoming impatient.

"He'll come," Shirley assured me, putting her hand on my shoulder with a sympathetic smile, "He always comes when you need him, right?"

"I'm glad you have such faith in me," Kaiba said, approaching from behind.

"Kaiba!" I exclaimed, turning around to see who I thought was someone else for a moment. He was wearing a completely different outfit this time, one that I had never seen before. Instead of his normal brown and red combat gear and mask, he appeared to be wearing a long, silver and white cloak with a matching helmet. This helmet seemed to have dragon-horn like decorations on the side, and the visor where he looked through was blue. It was apparent he was emulating the color scheme of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

"That is you...right?" I asked, a bit unsure. To that, he seemed to press a button on the back of the helmet which turned his opaque blue visor transparent, allowing us to see his face. It really was him.

"You look...really good in that, Kaiba," Shirley stammered, "I like it."

"What's the new look for, though?" I asked.

"Think of it as a stylistic rebranding," Kaiba said to us, changing his visor back and walking ahead of us to take a look at the view below, "Are all of our strike teams in position?"

"Yes," I confirmed.

"Excellent. Good work, Latch. I knew I could count on you," he complimented me.

"Thank you," I replied, "That shield surrounding the base is the only thing standing in our way now. Should we go loud and try to break it down?"

"That will not be necessary," he replied, pulling up his Duel Disk and activating a Spell Card. At that moment, a large blue light lit up the sky for a few moments before flickering out. I wasn't entirely sure what he was trying to accomplish by alerting the facility like that, but it didn't take long for me to understand.

Mere moments later, the force field that stood like an impenetrable wall between us and our goal deactivated. The soldiers that were guarding the facility were looking around in confusion, but I had a pretty good idea of what had happened. Kaiba spoke of moles inside the Dominion, but I had no idea that he had some inside of the Correctional Facility itself. He was able to get them to lower the shield from the inside and give us this crucial opening to strike.

"This is Commander Kaiba speaking. Strike Teams Alpha and Bravo, proceed with attack plan Assyria," he ordered, calmly, "Air Raid Unit, begin diversionary bombardment. Infiltration Teams, form up on the Western courtyard's outer wall and wait for my signal."

"Yes, sir!" they all agreed. In that instant, our Rebellion stopped looking like a ragtag militia and more like a deadly special forces unit. With flawless timing and accuracy, our Strike Teams on the western cliff unloaded their Superdreadnought Rail Cannons on precise points, destroying all six outer guard towers and forward batteries. At the same time, the Air Raid team took off into the sky with their Raid Raptors above the facility and began their bombardment, destroying the front gate and decimating the southern courtyard. Smoke rose high into the sky and sirens echoed throughout the darkened city, as if exclaiming to everyone that the once impenetrable Correctional Facility was now under siege.

"Infiltration Teams, punch through the western wall and plant demolition charges at the coordinates I'm sending. Strike Team Alpha, cover their approach. Bravo, assault the Command Tower with all your might," Kaiba continued, with precise eloquence, "Shirley, Latch, Matasaburo and I will be moving toward the primary objective. Right now, they believe we're after their Command and are approaching from the South. Let's keep it that way."

"Yes, sir!" we all agreed. Finally...finally we were making strides towards defeating this Dominion. We were freeing our loved ones that were wrongly imprisoned and taking them back. We were finally fighting for what was right. I had waited so long that I was beginning to doubt him...but Kaiba is really the only one who could pull this off. He's the only one who could organize so many different people and cultures to one goal and get them to execute missions with such perfection. He was more than a leader now. He was a symbol of hope for everyone.


	36. Concurrent Happenstance

As the sirens rang out, I used the thermal vision on my visor to scope out two certain areas in the distance. Just as planned, two large explosions detonated moments after, and a long trail of smoke climbed to the sky - the sleeper cells I had inside the two main Dominion military bases overloaded the bases' reactors and destroyed them. While that wouldn't completely prevent Dominion intervention, it would make any kind of immediate retaliation prohibitively dangerous. Their military strength was effectively cut by at least 70% in this area, and if all went according to plan, the other bases around the country would be unable to react in time. Once I verified all that, I began the next step.

On my signal, the demolition charges that were planted simultaneously exploded. Two of them were used to destroy the auxiliary generator, and the other two were used to create precise openings in the facility. We were mainly here to rescue the captured Shinobi and other people of interest, but my secondary objective was to infiltrate their underground facility where they were supposedly doing some kind of experiments involving immortals. If at possible, I was going to find a way to destroy them before they could be a major threat. The two openings I made would serve as an entrance and exit route. With powerful monsters summoned, we were prepared to strike. We had moved from the top of the cliff to the wall of the facility to infiltrate while our other operatives were distracting the opposing forces.

"Activate your DMI, you two," I ordered to Latch and Shirley, as we prepared to infiltrate.

"Right," Latch agreed.

"Got it," Shirley followed. Seeing their expressions as they witnessed for themselves the power of the DMI, I began to move onward. After passing through the initial wall and into the courtyard, we made a quick sprint to the other opening that was created. With Matasaburo right behind me, we entered into the mess hall, and according to the building plans I had managed to get a hold of, we were directly above the first cell block. I wasn't entirely sure where our targets were being held, but that wouldn't be a problem soon enough. Taking full use of my Blue-Eyes, I blasted a hole in the floor, causing it to crumble and open a path downward.

"You three, clear this level of hostiles, then join me down below," I ordered.

"Will you be okay by yourself?" Shirley asked.

"This is Kaiba we're talking about, right?" Latch smiled, full of confidence, "He'll be fine!"

"Very well, Kaiba-sama. May the spirits watch over you," Matasaburo replied, heading off.

I quickly continued through the opening, landing in a cell block full of prisoners. They appeared terrified of my presence, but I had no idea who they were. None of them immediately caught my eye as anyone we were here for, but I noticed a guard taking cover behind his post and speaking into a radio - most likely calling for reinforcements. While Shirley, Latch, and Matasaburo were away, I quickly sprinted over to the guard's position, vaulting over the counter and landing in front of him. He attempted to pull out his sidearm, but I grabbed him by the face and used my power before he could reach for it.

"A group called the Vengeful Shinobi were brought here recently. Tell me where they are," I ordered.

"...They're being held in Block C..." he said, calmly.

"And these people?" I asked, showing him pictures of several other key targets. He scanned over them with his eyes taking in all the information he could before he answered.

"...They should be in Block B...unless they've already been executed..."

"Executed? What are you talking about? Explain."

"...Most prisoners who are brought in for sedition are to be executed after a designated time frame..."

So, they just completely eliminate the civilians who oppose them...I suppose it's smart to get rid of the radical elements before they gain support and rise up, but these people weren't capable of something like that. The fools in the Dominion were targeting the wrong people...Or perhaps they were executing innocents in hopes it would discourage the Rebellion already in place...

"I need you to do something for me, so listen carefully..." I told the guard.

"...Yes, sir..."

* * *

I waited a short ways behind Daisuke with my Duel Disk readied as he slowly opened the front door to peek out. Very slowly, the door crept open until his whole head was staring out there. He was supposed to give me a signal if it was all clear, but...he just stood there.

"...Something's not right..." he murmured, loud enough for me to hear.

"What's wrong?" I whispered to him, getting closer.

"They saw us come into this building, didn't they?" he asked, opening the door a little more, "Where is everyone?" After a few more seconds of looking around and making sure the coast was clear, we stepped out into the night air. No matter where we looked...there was no one. It was weird. I was totally expecting an ambush or even just a few soldiers waiting for us here.

"Did they...just give up?" I asked, confused. Before Daisuke could answer, though, we heard what sounded like explosions going off miles away. Only moments after, a distant siren began to loudly sound and spotlights shot up into the sky.

"...Or maybe they have their hands full with something else," Daisuke suggested. Just after he said that, we heard what sounded like helicopters approaching. Glancing upwards, we saw that they were flying towards us pretty quickly and even had spotlights illuminating the streets. At the same time, small robotic drones were pouring out of the helicopters, spreading out across the city with spotlights of their own. Daisuke quickly closed the door and let out an exasperated sigh.

"Looks like traveling the streets isn't an option. If one of those drones spots us, we're toast. They're all over the place right now, too," he told me, "What's going on, though? Did Tachibana tell you that he was going to be doing something?" I shook my head.

"He hasn't mentioned anything, but I can't imagine anyone else could drive the Dominion into such a panic," I replied.

"Can't argue with that..." Daisuke agreed, rubbing his neck, "But, now what? Where are we supposed to go? It's not like we can fly away with our monsters, either."

Just as he finished that sentence, I felt a strange presence behind me. Looking back, I saw a blurry white and gold mass of...something...floating down the hall.

"What? Do you see something?" Daisuke asked me.

"You don't see that?"

"See what?"

Was I just hallucinating? It was so vivid, though...I felt as if I had seen it before. This couldn't be just some weird illusion, right? On top of that, it felt like it was leading my somewhere. I didn't really know what else to do but follow it.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Daisuke asked as I began to follow the anomaly.

"I...don't know..." I mumbled in response. I could tell he was reluctant, but he followed behind me anyway. Wherever this thing was leading us, I had a gut feeling that it was where we needed to go.

* * *

"Kaiba-sama, we've cleared the first floor of hostiles," Matasaburo told me, Shirley and Latch following behind him.

"Excellent work," I said, nodding to them, "From what I've discovered, our targets aren't in this cellblock. We'll need to go deeper."

"Then, who are all these people?" Latch asked me, looking at the prisoners who were scattered through the different cells.

"Actual criminals," I informed him.

"C-Come on...we can help you take out the guards and stuff if you let us out..." one prisoner tried to bargain with me, sheepishly looking through the cage doors.

"Quiet. We're here to release those who were wrongly imprisoned," I told him, "We'll take care of the soldiers ourselves. Let's go."

Without another word humoring the scum sitting in those cells, we continued through the building, following the building plan I received and making it to the stairwell. Blocks B and C were below us, and from what I understood, the lab containing the immortals was even lower.

"Where are all the guards?" Latch asked me as we reached the lower floor, "There were a ton upstairs, but there's almost no one down here."

That would be because of the soldier I used my abilities on. I ordered him to direct the other guards upstairs and away from the lower levels. Shirley, Latch, and Matasaburo would have more to deal with, but our path downward would be nearly risk free. Telling them all that would be unnecessary, though.

"I triggered an alarm elsewhere. They're most likely concentrated in that location, or are on their way there," I suggested.

"As expected of you, Kaiba-sama," Matasaburo said with a smile, "Resourceful as always."

When we finally made it out of the long hallway and into the next block, I got a look at all the prisoners in the cells. They had a much different demeanor than the ones before us. Though we had just entered the room with large monsters in tow, they paid almost no mind to us. They sat in their cages, weak and limp, their eyes empty - devoid of life and hope. Though their hearts were still beating, these people were already killed by the Dominion's cruelty.

"These poor people..." Shirley whimpered, seeing their horrible fate for herself.

"Yes, this is the true face of the Dominion," I agreed, "But, fret not." I began to search the area for a control booth like the one in the other cell block. While I was doing so, I heard Latch run up to a cell and grab the bars forcefully.

"Mom! Dad! Auntie Hibiki!" he called out, passionately, "It's me! It's Toshiro!"

"Mom? Dad?" Shirley murmured, shocked.

"To...shiro..." the woman inside the cell whispered, not even looking at him. His father looked towards him, but didn't say anything.

"My god...you're alive..." he said, starting to get choked up, "You're still alive!"

"Are they, though?" Matasaburo asked, seeing their horrid condition. I had finally found the control board along with the emergency release lever for every cell in the block. I pulled it quickly, a short alarm going off and a red light illuminating the darkened corners of the room. The cell doors slid open simultaneously, but the prisoners didn't try and leave. They just all sat in their cells, practically unaware of the situation. Latch quickly ran into the cell to assess their condition, but I knew without even looking that they were going to need a lot of rehabilitation. If what he told me before was true, they had been in here for over twenty years. God only knows what the Dominion did to them all this time.

"Latch, I know you're happy to see them after all this time, but their safety should come first," I reasoned, "I'll call in the evac team and we'll get them somewhere safe. Your reunion will have to wait." Latch looked back at me with a desperate expression, almost as if he were saying "please just give me more time", but it quickly changed as he realized I had their best interest in mind.

"...You're right. Let's get them to safety," he agreed. With a nod of confirmation, I radioed the other infiltration team on standby.

"Zeta Squad, begin infiltration and head towards the beacon I'm setting up," I ordered, dropping a homing beacon on the ground, "We need evac for the prisoners in this cell."

"Yes, sir," they agreed, beginning their operation.

"Latch, Shirley, Matasaburo," I called, redirecting their attention, "Let's continue. We still have comrades to rescue."

"Yes, sir!" Matasaburo agreed, with burning enthusiasm. Shirley and Latch both nodded, but before we headed out, Latch walked up to what remained of his family and embraced them, even though they might not even know who he was.

"I don't care what it takes...I'll get those bastards for doing this to you, I promise..." he said to them, afterwards returning to us. Shirley gently rubbed his shoulder and offered him a sympathetic smile for support before we carried on towards the lower block.

"Kaiba! This is Strike Team Bravo! Superdreadnought Rail Cannon one and two are down!" Bravo reported, unexpectedly, "Please advise!"

"Acknowledged, Bravo. I want a SitRep immediately," I ordered over the comm, as we continued on.

"We just got hit by some kind of energy blast out of nowhere! It was even more powerful than the Superdreadnoughts!" he replied, panicked, "I think it's going to-...Oh god, no! No!"

"Bravo! What's going on over there?" I barked, receiving no answer, "Bravo! Respond!"

"Kaiba? Is everything okay?" Shirley asked, running behind me.

"Not everything - but the mission must continue," I told her, just as another transmission came through.

"Kaiba. This is the Air Raid Unit. Are you there?" she called.

"Go ahead, Air Raid Unit," I replied.

"Thermal's showing some kind of giant machine moving towards us," she informed me, "It looks like it could be a Duel Monster."

A Duel Monster? So, Viviana was launching a counter attack...but wait...she said "machine"...Viviana uses an exclusively Warrior-type deck. Some of those monsters do look mechanical, though. I suppose it's not impossible.

"Is that what took out Bravo Team?" I asked.

"Most likely. It's the only thing that's charging our position for miles, as far as we can see. We're getting almost no resistance within the facility itself and all communication has been cut off," she explained, "Whatever this thing is, it got word of our attack before we were able to cut off the facility."

"Continue your observation. Let me know as soon as it reaches the operational perimeter," I ordered.

"Yes, sir."

* * *

"Hey, Yuki? Are you sure we should be going through here? This place looks pretty...old," Daisuke said as we traversed the tunnel. Following the apparition I had seen led us deeper into the building, and eventually to a hatch - similar to the one I found at school. What's more: the hatch led us to a tunnel exactly like the one under the school. Yusuke once told me that the tunnel under the school was built during the Dominion's invasion of Japan or something like that. It was used as an escape route. I guess it's possible more were built that he just didn't know about. We had been walking for quite some time now, so wherever we were, we were far away from our initial entrance location.

The only light we had was from our phones, and they were running out of battery. As such, I was trying to hurry as much as possible. At this point, the apparition was even farther ahead of us than before, so we were just chasing the tail end of it. I could still "feel" where it was going, though.

"Yuki? Come on, talk to me," Daisuke pleaded, since I had been almost completely silent the whole time.

"Sorry, Daisuke. Just bear with me a little longer," I requested, "I know we're getting close."

"Have you been down here before?" he asked.

"No, but I just...know," I responded, half-heartedly. He sighed, but as usual, stayed with me. As we got a little bit further, he noted something I didn't pay attention to until now.

"Hey, is it just me or are the sirens getting louder?" he asked. Though I kept moving, I tried to pay more attention. Without much time or effort, it was clear that the sirens sounded louder than before. But, they weren't necessarily increasing in volume.

"They're not getting louder. We're getting closer," I told him. Just as we rounded one last corner, we saw our destination. Another ladder, just like the one we climbed down. This one seemed to just lead to a solid ceiling, though. As we got closer and shined our flashlights on them, we noticed that the color of the ceiling above the ladder didn't match the concrete around it. Or maybe it _would_ match it with a couple years of weathering.

"Looks like this part was paved over well after this tunnel was built," Daisuke noted, "Is this where we're supposed to go?"

"Yeah," I told him, "But, I guess there was supposed to be a hatch here..."

"Well, guess this is where I come in," he said, pulling up his Duel Disk.

"Wait - Daisuke, you can't be-" Before I could finish, he activated a spell card that opened a hole right on the spot where the new pavement was.

"...serious..." I finished. With a smile, he gestured for me to climb up first. Accepting his offer, I climbed up the ladder and through the hole he made, but when I saw what was there, I was extremely confused. I finished entering the new room so Daisuke could follow, and he was just as puzzled as I was.

"What in the world...?" he asked. Looking around us, we saw nothing but rows and rows of large, cylindrical tubes filled with some kind of green liquid. The liquid seemed to give off light, because even in this room without any visible lights, it was a illuminated a sickly green. It was obvious that this was some sort of lab, but what they were doing here was anyone's guess. We didn't even know who "they" were, but it was pretty safe to assume it was the Dominion. The tubes had large piplines running along the ground and up into the ceiling attached to them, so I figured we were still somewhere below sea level.

Most of the tube-pod-things appeared empty, but as we walked through the area a bit more, we came across a doorway that led to another section with fewer tubes. There were three on either side of us and one straight ahead, but what was inside was even more mind boggling than this entire lab. In all the tubes were identical girls, all floating in an unconscious state. They weren't just any girls, either. They all looked exactly like Viviana, except they had white hair instead of the golden hair she championed.

"This just keeps getting weirder and weirder..." Daisuke noted, glancing around at them all. I remembered at that moment that he had never met Viviana proper, so obviously this wouldn't shock him so much. At best, he got a passing glance at her from a distance when we went to rescue Yusuke.

"Is your phone still working?" I asked him. He pulled it back out of his pocket and checked, but showed me that he wasn't getting any service. Considering we were so far underground, that's kind of expected, but I wanted to try anyway. I needed to tell Yusuke about this, but if we were in a dead zone, there was nothing we could do. Still, this was trippy as hell. A bunch of Viviana clones, floating around in some basement? I can't imagine Viviana being okay with this, so there must be stuff that even she doesn't know about the Dominion. Maybe they aren't as friendly with her as I thought...

As I walked around the area, looking for any more clues, I approached the tube at the very front and stepped on something that broke when I put pressure on it. It startled me, so I stepped away and accidentally bumped a button of some sort. I was fully expecting some sort of self-destruct, but luckily that didn't happen.

"Administrator Password required for activation sequence," a digital voice said after I moved away from the button.

"Thank god..." I sighed, having dodged a bullet.

"Password Accepted. Beginning cell merge."

"What?! No! Abort! Abort!" I called out to no avail. The other six tubes around us glowed even brighter than before - to a blinding degree. On top of that, the girls inside began to blend with the water, almost as if they were made of some kind of gel, and the water began to drain into the bottom of the tubes. The only tube that remained normal was the one in front of me, but it didn't stay that way for long.

From the bottom of the tube, green liquid starting filling into it. At the same time, the girl inside seemed to be disturbed by this. She started moving around gently, and eventually started to flail in the water as more of the green liquid filled in. Eventually, she was completely enveloped by the green liquid and was no longer visible. I thought that she was being tortured or something, but I didn't know what to do to help her. As I was thinking of some kind of solution, the liquid in the tube began to change from green to white.

"I still haven't the slightest idea what's happening," Daisuke said, deadpan and confused.

"Don't look at me!" I exclaimed.

Just as the liquid in the tube became a pure white color, the glass around it began to crack. Daisuke and I both knew what was going to happen, so we quickly took cover behind some nearby machinery. We were lucky that our gut was right, because the glass around her chamber exploded like a shrapnel grenade. If we were standing in the open, we'd have a few extra holes in us right now. Steam filled the ground under us and we heard something fall to the ground. Looking out from our cover, the girl had emerged from her tube. She was on her hands and knees, completely nude. I guess because of the murky liquid, it wasn't as apparent before. When Daisuke's eyes widened at the sight, I quickly turned his head away. I decided to step out and see if she was okay myself. As I got nearer, I got an increasingly uneasy feeling in my stomach, but I tried to ignore it.

"Um...Miss? Are you alright?" I asked. Slowly, she glanced up at me. When her crystal-like blue eyes locked with mine, I felt what I can only describe as the terror of looking at an alien being. Normally, when you look at someone, you can sense some sort of...I don't know...humanity? But this girl...looking into her eyes...it was like staring into a black hole - or what I imagine staring into one would be like. It was terrifying and enrapturing at the same time.

"...Designation...?" she asked, softly.

"Eh?" I stuttered, snapping out of my stupor.

"...Designation?" she repeated.

"I'm sorry, I have no idea what you're talking about," I replied. When she heard those words, the emotion of her eyes changed from soft and emotionless to angry and serious.

"...Failed to authorize..." she murmured, beginning to stand up, "...Failsafe activated..." With those vague words, she held her arm in front of her in a very familiar fashion. I was almost expecting her to pull out a Duel Disk, but I was floored when a digital one appeared out of nowhere in front of her arm. It was like her arm was projecting the blade of the disk itself, but she didn't appear to be a robot or anything, so I wasn't sure how that was possible. On top of that, digital card holograms appeared in front of her as well, and just by tapping one, she summoned a monster. It appeared to be some kind of knight with a black and gray color scheme. Without my Duel Disk active, I couldn't get exact stats. I didn't even have time to pull it up to activate it, and all I could think to do was run.

Acting solely on instinct at this point, I quickly ran the other way, grabbing Daisuke by the hand on the way out and dragging him with me. He quickly got his footing and followed behind as best he could, not understanding why we were running anyway. After one look back, he figured it out right quick. Even though we were getting close to the hatch again, the monster quickly lunged for it, blocking our only exit.

"Why are we running?!" Daisuke asked, "Can't we fight?!"

"I don't think we can take her!" I replied, uncertain as to what brought me to that conclusion. Maybe it was because she looked like Viviana, or maybe because we just have no idea who, or what for that matter, she is. While I was lost in thought, the monster lunged at us with his sword, ready to strike. Though I was paralyzed by fear, something else jumped in front of me and took the blow. With all the sparks flying, I could hardly see what had happened, but it was obvious it was Daisuke's doing. By all the shards flying about, I realized that he shielded me from the attack with the Duel Disk itself. Luckily it was sturdy enough to deflect the attack at the cost of destroying the machine.

"Come on, Yuki! Snap out of it!" he barked. Before I could act, a loud explosion came from somewhere behind us.

"Freeze!" another voice called out.

* * *

"Kaiba-sama! You came to rescue us!" the Shinobi cried out as we opened up their cells.

"Yes, but we're running shorter on time than I anticipated. You need to head upstairs to the B Block and link up with our Evac Team. They'll get you out of here while we finish up here," I said to them, afterwards turning to Matasaburo, "And you. You've done well. I'm sorry that your father turned on you all like this, but your people need you now more than ever. Go with them."

"Yes, Kaiba-sama," he said, bowing down on one knee, "For rescuing my brethren and undoing the sins of my father, I am forever in your debt. As long as I draw breath, the Vengeful Shinobi shall follow you to the very depths of hell, should you wish it."

"Thank you, Matasaburo," I said, "Now, go with them." With a last nod of acceptance, Matasaburo ran off with the rest of the Vengeful Shinobi. While this may have seemed like an act of kindness, allowing him to reunite with his comrades and give him authority, I simply didn't trust him enough to let him see what we were after next.

"Right, then. Let's keep-" before I finished, we felt the entire building shake as a large explosion rang out from the courtyard. I quickly got on the comms to see what was happening.

"Air Raid Unit, what's going on out there? I gave orders to contact me once the operational perimeter was breached!" I called. Though I waited, there was no answer.

"Air Raid Unit! Respond!" Still nothing. I quickly changed channels and called once more.

"This is Commander Kaiba. Any remaining units, respond immediately." There was a brief silence, but one transmission came through. There was coughing at first and what sounded like background explosions, but the person began to speak shortly after.

"This...this is Strike Team Alpha..." he answered, "We're getting shredded up here, Kaiba...Bravo, the Air Raid Unit, most of Alpha...all gone..."

"Are you telling me that a single unit did all that?" I asked.

"...It's like the wind, Kaiba...like the wind..." and with those final words, I heard the radio transceiver hit the ground. The transmission ended, and I was left speechless. The Air Raid Unit, Bravo, and Alpha were all destroyed. All that was left was the Infiltration and Evac Teams, and judging by how things sounded, they weren't going to last long, either. Although I was prepared for up to a 98% loss on this mission, I never thought it would actually happen.

"Kaiba...?" Latch asked, seeing my shocked expression.

"I'm not going to lie to you...they're getting crushed out there," I said, turning to face Shirley and Latch, "I don't know exactly what it is yet, but the Dominion deployed some kind of secret weapon that's tearing us apart."

"I guess there's no way we could have seen this coming, then..." Shirley replied, solemnly.

"No matter. We have achieved our two primary objectives and the rest of our forces are pulling out as we speak," I assured them, regaining my composure and carrying on, "Now we finish the job and rejoin everyone else."

"Yes, sir!" they agreed, as we charged down the hall and towards the stairwell. I was beginning to see what Descartes meant when he said the entire rebellion relied on me. Even while their comrades fall around them and we face near total annihilation, these two remain calm and collected. I suppose as long as I'm alive, they will persevere. That also means that if I were to be captured, they would fall apart, wouldn't it? I suppose having a command structure situated around a singular individual has its benefits, but it would carry an enormous risk if it were anyone else. Luckily, my immortality will allow me to carry on even if everyone else is wiped out. My goal will be accomplished - no matter the cost.

By this time, we had reached the bottom of the stairwell, and before us was a steel security door. There appeared to be some kind of scanner on the wall next to it, and chances were that we wouldn't be able to just hack it. We were far enough below the surface that we couldn't hear any explosions anymore, but the sirens were still clear. If that was the case, they probably wouldn't detect a break in down here. All the personnel stationed here were taken care of, so reinforcements would be unlikely. Without another thought, I called forth my Blue-Eyes and had it blast the security door. Without even using a full force strike, it completely destroyed it. I wasn't expecting it to be so fragile, but once the smoke cleared, I witnessed the reason - yet another security door.

"Another door? Is there just a long line of them?" Latch asked, calling forth his Dark Simmorgh to destroy it.

"Looks like they really don't want intruders down here," Shirley suggested, also calling her Radiant-Eyes Dragon. With our combined, fully-charged attacks, we blasted the door ahead of us, but also seemed to tear through at least four other security measures, including some kind of turret that was set up. The only way we could tell was from the debris left behind. Now all that was ahead was a tunnel we carved ourselves - a single path to our objective. At least, that's what I was betting on. We had enough evidence to support it at this point, and our intel was almost certainly good. We continued on without hesitation, and as we got further in, we heard what sounded like fighting. A green light lying at the end of the tunnel marked our destination, and as we rounded the corner, we quickly prepared our monster's attacks and called out to the enemy.

"Freeze!" I shouted. However, as I gazed down upon the scene, I was completely floored by two things: Yuki and Daisuke in the top secret lab that I worked tirelessly to uncover, and a white haired, blue-eyed woman who shared the same face as Viviana. Her eyes were empty and cold, and her gaze sent a chill through you. It was not unlike staring into an unknowable abyss. The woman looked back at me, almost as if staring through my helmet and into my eyes. After staring for a brief moment, she quickly spun around to reveal a holographic duel disk being projected from her arm, as well as several projected cards. This was technology we had not yet encountered before, but now was not the time to analyze. It was the time to act. She was obviously a Duelist, and if her face was any indicator, it would be dangerous to allow the duel to continue.

"Isn't that...?" Shirley murmured, in awe.

"Sure looks like it..." Latch agreed.

"Y-Yusuke!" Yuki called out.

The woman called the monster she had on the field over to her, directing it away from Yuki and ordering it to go after me. I quickly blasted it away entirely with Blue-Eyes, then rushed at her with great speed. Latch and Shirley were both surprised at my reaction, but I couldn't hesitate against this person for more than one reason. I quickly tackled her to the ground and restrained her arms so she couldn't use her Duel Disk.

"That face doesn't belong to you. Who are you?" I asked. Her battle-ready scowl continued as answered me with a stoic monotone.

"Designation?" she asked. Designation? My designation, or her designation? Considering I had very little knowledge about this situation, I only had moments to piece together what I could. This lab was supposed to house clones which were somehow being used to create immortals, of that much I was nearly certain. This woman had the same face as Viviana, and when we charged into this room, we saw many incubation tubes filled with liquid, so my only conclusion is that instead of creating immortal beings from scratch, the Dominion decided to work off of the foundation of Viviana's DNA. Considering she was still vastly different to the original Viviana, I could only think that this woman was their first successful "prototype". Having come to those conclusions, I activated my ability on her.

"I am Kaiba, and you will serve me or die," I ordered her. Strangely, despite making direct contact, the golden crest that usually appeared on someone's forehead did not appear. Clothing such as the gloves I was wearing were not a suitable barrier to stop commands from working - I had confirmed that time and time again. Either way, she had no clothing on to stop the connection, either. I was certain she should be affected.

"...Designation...Kaiba..." she mumbled, the scowl disappearing from her face and turning neutral again, "Authorization code?"

Authorization code? She wasn't affected by my ability?

"Serve me!" I ordered again, trying harder to enforce my will through the ability. Once again, she appeared completely unaffected.

"...Unauthorized facial pattern detected..." she said, squinting her eyes a bit and scanning over my helmet, "...Valid authorization code detected...proceeding under contingency protocol A9..." After that, her body completely loosened. Her expression changed to a neutral one as well. I wasn't entirely sure what had just happened, but I could venture a guess.

"Are you going to attack any of us?" I asked her.

"Is that what you desire?" she asked back.

"No. I want you to remember everybody in this room. They are to be protected," I said, getting off of her. She continued to lie on the ground, looking at everyone around her.

"You can get up now."

"Understood," she accepted, standing up.

"...what the hell just happened?" Latch asked after a brief silence. Shirley, Daisuke, and Yuki all looked similarly baffled. What had happened was the acquisition of an instrument with such potential that it made our losses in this battle look like a pittance in comparison - but they didn't realize that yet.

"I'll explain later, but for now we must make our retreat. Our mission is complete," I replied.

"Wait, that girl is what we came here for?" Latch asked, as I took off my cape and began to approach the girl to cover her, "She's the thing that was in this lab?"

"As I said, I will explain later. For now-" Before I could finish, this girl grabbed me by the helmet and forcefully pushed me away. The force she used was so immense that I was flung into the next room through the doorway. At the very same moment, the building shook with great force and the ceiling where I once stood collapsed. If I would have stayed there, the debris would have crushed me. The girl was able to avoid it as well, thanks to what seemed to be precognition on her part. Her strength, her perception, her apparent immunity to my ability - due to all these extraordinary factors, I absolutely could not let the Dominion have her.

"Kaiba!" Shirley exclaimed, running over to me as I picked myself up.

"I'm fine," I said, "But perhaps you have a better idea now of why this girl is so important."


	37. Liberator

"Um, Yusuke-" Yuki began.

"As I said: escape first, questions later," Kaiba replied as the building around us quaked from the commotion on the surface.

"I just wanted to know if you'd like me to help carry something..." Yuki suggested, a bit quieter. Kaiba had been carrying the girl we found downstairs on his back ever since we escaped the underground. After she rescued him from the collapsing ceiling, her legs got wobbly and she couldn't seem to stand anymore. Kaiba explained that it was probably muscle atrophy, and the reason she was able to move before at all was due to adrenaline. I understood all that, but it seemed as though he was doting on her a little too much. Maybe I was overthinking things, but it almost felt as though he saw this strange girl as a stand-in for Viviana. He did tell us that they were lovers at one point, so now that they were on opposing sides, maybe this was his way of having a connection with her.

"I wasn't expecting things to turn out like this..." I sighed, glancing back, "But at least we can get out of here. Right, Shirley?" But for some reason...Shirley was gone.

"Shirley?" I repeated, stopping in my tracks, "Where'd she go?" Kaiba and the others stopped as well, looking back with me. She was right behind us until just a moment ago...and it wasn't like this place was a labyrinth. There was literally only one way to go - a linear path. No way she could have gotten lost, especially when we were right in front of her. We didn't hear any rubble collapsing or anything like that, so she couldn't have gotten trapped.

"Did she fall behind?" Yuki asked, sounding concerned.

"She'll be fine," Kaiba said to us.

"But she just disappeared. How can you be so sure?" Daisuke asked him.

"Given our circumstances, the only way she would have disappeared was of her own volition. She'll find her way to us. I have faith in her," he explained.

"...Alright, Kaiba," I agreed, "Let's go."

"But, wouldn't Shirley have at least said something to us?" Yuki asked as we continued on.

"There are many reasons she might have chosen not to," Kaiba explained, "As of now, I will trust her strength and resourcefulness and focus on the matter at hand."

"...If you say so," Yuki accepted begrudgingly. It was honestly a bit of a surprise, hearing her protest so much against Kaiba's command. Before, she just went along with whatever he said, but something obviously changed in her recently. It was a welcome change - we had enough mindless zealots - but it made me curious.

"It's almost certain that whoever attacked us will be waiting for us on the surface. I've devised a plan to allow the rest of you time to escape," Kaiba told us, "Your objective is escape. Nothing more. Do not attack - just run. Everyone clear?"

"Yes, sir," I agreed.

"Wait, what's this about someone attacking you?" Yuki asked.

"Someone, or something, wiped out most of our forces up above," I explained to her, knowing Kaiba wanted to focus on escape, "We haven't seen it yet, but we have reason to believe it's immensely powerful. It's the most likely reason for all the quakes, after all."

"And you want us just to run?" she asked Kaiba.

"Yes," he confirmed.

"While you do what? Hold them off?" Yuki objected, "If they wiped out most of your forces, what are you hoping to accomplish?"

"It will buy the rest of you time to escape. That is all I'm trying to accomplish," Kaiba told her, "I appreciate your concern, but this isn't a negotiation. This is an order. You will retreat with the girl to base. Understood?"

"...Understood," Yuki accepted, hesitantly.

* * *

Earlier that evening...

* * *

"They did _what?!_ " Alexis exclaimed, "Get me a line to command, _now!_ "

"Already prepared, ma'am," the technician replied, handing her a earpiece.

"I want a SitRep, immediately," she said, a tranquil fury burning inside of her. After a few seconds of silence and her expressions changing wildly, Alexis responded to the person on the other end.

"They'd destroy their own homeland just to cripple us...?" she remarked in awe, "...What are we looking at in terms of damage estimates?...Yes...I see...how could this-" Just as she finished, we heard at least two explosions in the distance and sirens following immediately after.

"It can't be! They're already here?!"

"Alexis? What's going on?" I asked her, concerned. She quickly turned to me, turned to the Gilgamesh's frame, then at the ground for a moment. She spun around and directed her attention at one of the technicians who was beginning to put the frame in the truck.

"Stop loading the frame," she said, "We're going to retrieve the experimental fusion cartridge and send the Gilgamesh out again."

"Ma'am?" the tech replied, confused. Alexis turned to me and finished.

"Viviana, I know I said you shouldn't be pulling any all-nighters...but I need your strength," she admitted, "It's possible that we're under attack by a Foreign power. That means a lot of innocents are in danger."

"Say no more, Alexis. Just tell me what you need me to do," I agreed instantly.

"Thank you, Viviana," she sighed, gratefully.

* * *

 _Later, underground..._

* * *

"Kaiba!" I exclaimed, running over to Kaiba as he was knocked to the ground.

"I'm fine," he said, "But perhaps you have a better idea now of why this girl is so important." The look on his face when he said that...he was absolutely certain. There wasn't a shred of doubt in his mind that this girl was our ally now. Though I couldn't disprove it, it seemed a little reckless to just grab some girl that's been in a lab that we've never met before and take her with us. Though I had complete faith in Kaiba's decisions, I couldn't help but find myself wondering if her resemblance to Viviana had something to do with it.

Kaiba got up off the ground and covered the girl with his cape delicately, but she stumbled to one knee as if she lost her strength all of a sudden. Kaiba lunged to keep her from hitting the ground, and for some reason...that bothered me. Just then, a transmission came through on my headset. I could tell that it only came through on mine, because it addressed me alone and nobody else seemed to notice.

"Shirley Anderson, yes?" the voice said. It was male, obviously, but a bit flamboyant, "Daughter of Captain Thomas Anderson and First Lieutenant Diane Anderson?" Though I was about to reply, they stopped me - as if they could see me all these levels underground.

"Ah-ah, no need for words. I already know, you see," the voice replied, "We wouldn't want your comrades getting wise, either. However, just to be sure you're getting this, would you mind clearing your throat for me, dear?" Who was this person? How did they know my parents? How did they know their ranks and how did they know _me_? How did they even find me down here? I was so confused, but I wasn't going to get answers unless I played along - so I cleared my throat like he asked.

"Excellent! Excellent...moving on," he responded, "I'm with the American Army's R&D department, and we have something we'd like you to help us with. We have an Agent waiting to extract you once you get some distance from the others." American Army? That can't be possible, because-

"America was completely dominated in the war, so you don't think I could be telling the truth. You're thinking something along those lines, yes?" he purred, self-satisfied, "Don't you think we went down a little _too_ easy, hm? Just get some distance between your pals and we'll prove it to you."

I wasn't sure about all this...but I wanted to find out. My heart was tugging at me, telling me this is something I had to do even if it was fake. I needed to find out. I'm sure Kaiba would understand once I explained it to him. All that was left now was to evacuate, anyway. I could just meet up with them back at the base.

So, as we began to head out of the underground facility, I slowly began to hang back. Further and further they got, and eventually they reached the stairs without noticing I fell behind. Utilizing the opportunity, I quickly ran back to the lab, and was astonished to find someone standing there - as if waiting for me. It was a tall woman wearing darkened glasses and a black longcoat with a white undershirt. She had a large rifle on her back and some kind of earpiece on the side of her head.

"Ms. Anderson. Glad you came. Are you ready to depart?" she asked me.

"Depart? Wait, where are you taking me? What's this about?" I asked.

"It'll all be clear soon. If you're not up for it, we can simply return you to your friends. I have a feeling you'll be interested, though," she smirked, "Any red-blooded American such as yourself would be thrilled for this kind of opportunity."

"...Alright," I agreed.

* * *

 _Meanwhile on the surface..._

* * *

The fires around me illuminated the battlefield, causing the blood I had spilled to flicker ominously. I did my best to move past it, focusing instead on why I was seeing the kind of soldiers I was. This wasn't an American splinter faction as Alexis had thought. These were Duelists from Giorno's group. They were raiding this prison...but why? From what I could tell, most of their forces were situated up on the surface with only a few having actually entered. From the looks if it, they were rescue teams, too. They appeared to be carrying wounded out of the building - and not other Duelists. It was almost like...a rescue of some sort.

Even though I had a clear shot a those who were evacuating, I didn't take the opportunity. Some of them were fine, but they had wounded with them. I wasn't going to prey on the defenseless. Even though I accepted that I had to end the lives of those who confronted me up here, the ones who escaped were only tending to the injured. I had to draw the line there. Besides, it wasn't as if they posed an actual threat to me - especially while piloting the Gilgamesh.

I was doing my best to figure the situation out, and the best I could come up with is that the Americans attacked the prison building, and to boost their publicity, Giorno sent his Duelists here to rescue those trapped inside. It would explain everything I was seeing, partially at least.

"Viviana, how's the situation at the Correctional Facility?" Alexis asked over the com system.

"The Correctional Facility is badly damaged and structurally unsound. I was met with minor resistance, but it wasn't an American attack force. It was the Duelist Rebellion," I explained, "They appear to be evacuating the building."

"The rebels are evacuating the facility?" she asked, confused.

"Yes. It appears that they weren't the ones to besiege the building initially, but that's just speculation," I admitted, looking at Gilgamesh's remaining battery to gauge my time limit.

"I'd like you to remain there and secure the area. We're continuing our investigation into the military base bombings," Alexis responded.

"Acknowledged," I accepted, looking back at the scenery before me. As I was scanning the area for any more hostiles, I spotted a few figures exiting the side of the building and entering the courtyard. Upon zooming in, I was astonished to see Yuki again with some other rebels. I had just seen her near the old buildings in the city, and now she had somehow gotten all the way out here. There were three more of them with her. Two men and someone in a strange costume, two of the men I recognized from the past. They were certainly pat of the Rebellion. When they finally caught sight of me, Yuki looked panicked. Though I didn't want to engage them, I didn't really have a choice. Just as I was about to raise the arm of the Gilgamesh, though, I was hit from behind by some kind of blast. I turned around briefly to see what had hit me only to be hit again directly.

When I could finally spot my attacker, I could only see a lone Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon flying above. At this point, I knew it was Giorno who was controlling it. At first, I had thought the person in the costume down there was him, but it seems it's just another ally of theirs. The attacks weren't destroying Gilgamesh due to its effect of not being able to be destroyed by battle, and it wasn't banished due to its effect of negating effects that remove it from the field. It was at an impasse with Twin Burst, for the moment. I quickly used an equip spell card on Gilgamesh, causing an arm cannon to materialize and increase it's attack by 500. If neither of us could be destroyed, I could at least cause Giorno to be knocked out of the battle from damage.

Just as I prepared to fire a shot at the monster, though, something hit the Gilgamesh with so much force that I was completely dropped to the ground. My visuals short circuited for a moment as I turned myself around on the ground, and I was completely floored when it came back online to show my attacker.

"Another Slayer Frame...?" I asked, confused. There, standing before me, was what appeared to be another Slayer Frame. It seemed much lighter in design, not having as much armor plating as the Gilgamesh. I didn't have much time to scan over it before it resumed attacking.

"You're slaughter ends here, Domino Scum!" a vaguely familiar voice called out on its loudspeaker, as it readied a wrist canon and fired it at me. I lowered the shoulder-mounted shield armor on to my wrist and held it up to block the attack, but whatever the other frame shot stuck to the shield itself. After that, it began to make a high pitch ringing noise that increased in volume. I knew what was happening, but I couldn't do anything else to avoid it at this point except stand and brace myself. The projectile stuck to the shield exploded violently, completely blowing the right arm off of Gilgamesh.

"Viviana, the status screen says Gilgamesh just lost an arm! What's going on?" Alexis asked over static filled comms. While she asked, the Slayer Frame rushed at me, full speed. It began throwing kicks and punches that I did my absolute best to block, but it was far more dexterous than I could be at this point with the Gilgamesh. Many attacks got through, and I was taking more and more damage.

"Another Slayer Frame! It came out of nowhere!" I alerted her, "Energy Cell at thirty percent and dropping! Please advise!" There was a moment of silence while I did my best to fend off this attacker, but she responded.

"Retreat, Viviana. We can't lose the Gilgamesh, or you," she said to me, sounding frustrated.

"Roger!" I agreed, releasing the smoke capsules and hitting reverse at full speed. It was enough of a diversion to get away, and I got the feeling that whoever was in that thing didn't really care to pursue me. Their main focus seemed to be the facility. I had so many questions, though. Alexis told me that Gilgamesh was the first of its kind, so who was this person and how did they get a hold of another Slayer Frame?

* * *

"Are you sure this is gonna work?" I asked Latch.

"Kaiba's plans usually do," he admitted, "Just have some faith in him." Kaiba gave his new helmet to the girl and had her wrapped in the cape in order to make her look like him, then he climbed to the roof while we exited through a hole he had made earlier. When we finally got outside, we got a good look at our adversary. As Daisuke and I looked on in horror, we finally understood why this thing didn't pursue us last time. It had bigger fish to fry, apparently - but we were now part of the bigger fish. I looked on hopelessly as it began to raise its arm at us, but we were quickly saved by a blast hitting it from behind. It quickly focused away, staring up at a Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon in the air. Looks like Yusuke's plan worked.

"Come on, hurry!" Latch called out, signalling us all to run while the machine was distracted. With Latch, helping the girl we found run as best she could, we quickly headed for the escape route Yusuke told us about where some people were apparently waiting for us. Just as we were nearing the perimeter of the Correctional Facility, though, we heard a loud clang behind us. I glanced back for a moment to hear what sounded like Shirley's voice over loud speaker coming from another large machine.

"Your slaughter ends here, Domino Scum!" she called.

It was skinnier than the one attacking us, but it appeared to have the larger one on the ropes. It blew one of the arms off with an explosive of some sort and eventually forced it to retreat with smoke bombs. That's all I could see as I made my way around the wall and outside of the facility. Just a ways away, there were a few Vengeful Shinobi waiting for us.

"We stayed behind in order to ensure your escape. Is Master Kaiba with you?" one of them asked.

"He stayed behind to cover us. He told us to go on ahead. He'll rejoin us later," Latch explained.

"Very well. The city is on high alert," the Shinobi told us as we began to follow him, "We must move quickly and quietly."

While we trailed a bit behind, treading the same carefully laid path he made for us, I asked Latch about that other machine.

"What about it?" he asked back.

"Didn't it sound like Shirley's voice was coming from it?"

"Huh? Well...yeah, maybe. I wasn't really paying attention," he admitted, "You think she left to go fight in a big robot thing?"

"I don't know, but it would explain why she disappeared," I shrugged.

"But not _how_ she disappeared," Latch countered, "It was a one way corridor. We would have seen her go on ahead of us."

"...Right..." I said, realizing he was right.

* * *

"Your mastery over the Liberator is quite impressive, Miss Shirley!" Archimedes told me, sounding pleased with my performance, "I'm sure your parents would be quite proud of you."

"Thank you, but I did this to save my friends," I told him, sternly.

"Ah, yes. The Duelist Rebellion...I believe the President wanted to speak with its leader, if I'm not mistaken," he informed me, "You wouldn't happen to be able to arrange that, would you?"

"...Maybe," I said, still not entirely trusting him, "Why does the President want to talk to him?"

"An alliance of some sort, I'm sure," he surmised, "With what we've seen, you've proven yourself a valuable ally - the Rebellion and you as an individual."

"An alliance...sounds like it could work out. Everyone in the Rebellion hates the Dominion for similar reasons as the US..." I murmured, "...and I'd be lying if I said working with my home country to stop the Dominion wouldn't make me happy."

"We're in agreement, then? You get your leader to contact us, and we'll-"

"No need. I'm right here," Kaiba said, coming through in our comm system.

"My my, you managed to decrypt our frequency so quickly?" Archimedes said, almost as if he were expecting this.

"You say that as if it were supposed to be difficult," Kaiba replied.

"Aha..." Archimedes purred, pleased with what he was hearing, "That's the kind of confidence that comes only from a natural leader. You're the real deal, aren't you?"

"Shirley, I'm surprised you didn't mention any of this to the rest of us," Kaiba said to me, ignoring Archimedes.

"I...I didn't mean to-"

"I'm glad that I trusted you would do what was best for us all. I'm very proud of you," he praised me.

"T-Thank you, Kaiba!" I exclaimed.

"As for you, American..." he trailed off.

"Please, just call me Archie, Mr. Kaiba," Archimedes replied, playfully.

"If you think our goals are the same, you're mistaken," Kaiba told him, "The Duelist Rebellion wishes to return every Dominion territory to its rightful heirs and restore the culture that was lost - no matter how long it takes. Knowing your history, you only wish to take the Dominion's place as the dominant world power."

"Well, I can't speak for the President, but I can tell you that it's data that I'm after. I only wish to test all our wonderful armaments," Archimedes told him, "But even if our end goals are different, surely you agree that our short-term goals are the same, yes? Defeat the Dominion. Erase them from existence. Isn't that what you want?"

"The salient issue here is that _you_ will try to erase _us_ from existence, if we give you the chance. What's to stop you from turning around and betraying us once the Dominion is out of the way?" Kaiba retorted, "The fact that our end goals are different ensures future conflict. Considering we're able to handle the Dominion on our own, it doesn't offer much incentive for a united effort."

"Oh, but I believe it does, Mr. Kaiba - because having both the Dominion and the United States as an enemy is worse. Perhaps you can handle the Dominion on your own at the moment, but we could erase both of you in due time," Archimedes explained, his tone changing dramatically.

"You're resorting to threats now?" Kaiba scoffed, "I could handle the entirety of the United States military on my own. My Rebellion could thwart the Dominion in my absence. Your words are as empty as your pride."

"Mr. Kaiba, there's a fine line between confidence and stupidity. Handle the entire United States military alone? Don't be-"

"It's true," I interjected, "Archimedes, I can tell you that it is absolutely true. As someone who still considers herself American, I humbly ask that you don't instigate a conflict with us. I already thought I lost my homeland. I don't want to lose it again."

"...Even having felt the destructive force of the Liberator, you still say that?" Archimedes asked me, "You realize the USS Liberty is even more destructive?"

"I do. The Liberator couldn't stand against Kaiba. It would be basically useless," I explained. Archimedes was silent for a while, then sighed a bit.

"If I'm being frank, Mr. Kaiba, there really is nothing to gain from being enemies," he responded after a few moments, "Even if our end goals different, you've proven yourself formidable enough that we know to avoid direct confrontation if at all possible. You should know that we tend to avoid unwinnable wars...most of the time."

"...I'll need a direct meeting with your President if negotiations are to proceed," Kaiba said, sounding disinterested.

"I suppose that could be arranged in due time," Archimedes replied, "You'll need to discuss the terms of the alliance, after all."

"Very well. I assume Shirley will be your contact?"

"That was what we intended, yes."

"Then I will await a reply."

With that, Kaiba disconnected.

"Your leader is quite an interesting one, isn't he?" Archimedes asked me.

"There's nobody else like him," I said, happily.

"Indeed..."


End file.
